A leaked email in 2022 disclosed the personal details of over 18,000 Afghans associated with British services, prompting a covert resettlement initiative for 4,500 individuals at significant government expense.
U.K. Acknowledges Secret Resettlement of 4,500 Afghans Following Data Breach

U.K. Acknowledges Secret Resettlement of 4,500 Afghans Following Data Breach
The British government reveals a data exposure incident from 2022, leading to the covert relocation of Afghans.
The British Defense Ministry has confirmed the accidental release of sensitive information concerning over 18,000 Afghans who collaborated with U.K. forces before the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan. This revelation, made public on Tuesday, unveils a secretive program instituted to facilitate the relocation of Afghans at risk, set in motion after a notable breach in security.
This startling disclosure follows a previous government’s attempt to shield the details of the incident under a ‘super injunction,’ a stringent legal measure that restricts news organizations from reporting on certain topics. The injunction stifled journalism and provoked considerable backlash from press freedom advocates.
During a parliamentary address, Defense Secretary John Healey explained that the compromised data was inadvertently released via an email dispatched outside the authorized channels. The true scale of this breach was only uncovered in August 2023 when the personal information of several Afghan nationals was shared on social media.
In response to this data exposure, the then-Conservative government implemented the Afghan Response Route, a clandestine plan that has successfully enabled the resettlement of 4,500 Afghans to the U.K. at an expenditure of approximately $537 million. An additional 600 individuals and their immediate families are set to be relocated as part of this initiative.
As the current administration navigates the implications of this incident, Mr. Healey indicated that the relocation program would be terminated, and a forthcoming report will shed light on the findings. The report suggested that there is scant evidence showing the Taliban's intent for retribution or that the leaked data would incite hostility against those Afghans who collaborated with the British.
This startling disclosure follows a previous government’s attempt to shield the details of the incident under a ‘super injunction,’ a stringent legal measure that restricts news organizations from reporting on certain topics. The injunction stifled journalism and provoked considerable backlash from press freedom advocates.
During a parliamentary address, Defense Secretary John Healey explained that the compromised data was inadvertently released via an email dispatched outside the authorized channels. The true scale of this breach was only uncovered in August 2023 when the personal information of several Afghan nationals was shared on social media.
In response to this data exposure, the then-Conservative government implemented the Afghan Response Route, a clandestine plan that has successfully enabled the resettlement of 4,500 Afghans to the U.K. at an expenditure of approximately $537 million. An additional 600 individuals and their immediate families are set to be relocated as part of this initiative.
As the current administration navigates the implications of this incident, Mr. Healey indicated that the relocation program would be terminated, and a forthcoming report will shed light on the findings. The report suggested that there is scant evidence showing the Taliban's intent for retribution or that the leaked data would incite hostility against those Afghans who collaborated with the British.