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A confidential source has revealed the Afghan leak inquiry that the UK left behind confidential equipment enabling the Taliban to locate local individuals that had served with allied troops.

Information Leak Puts Numerous at Risk

Person A, called Person A, explained that individuals impacted by the data leak were told to change residences and change their mobile numbers to ensure their safety from the ruling authorities.

Members of Parliament are investigating the Conservative government's management of a serious breach of confidential data affecting nearly 19,000 Afghans who had asked to come to Britain to flee the Taliban.

How the Leak Was Discovered

A data file containing confidential details, comprising identities, addresses and in some cases household data, was accidentally leaked by a worker employed at British military command in early 2022.

The leak was discovered only in August 2023, when identities of several individuals who had sought to settle in the UK were posted on Facebook.

Taliban Capabilities

It appears there is a false assumption that militant forces are without the same sort of facilities that allied forces use,” Person A informed MPs.

“We left it all behind in Afghanistan; it's in their hands. If they have mobile details, they can locate your precise location. That is what specialized teams did.”

During testimony about regarding if authorities possessed advanced decryption, Person A stated: “They have complete capability.”

Aftermath of the Security Lapse

Early investigations provided to the inquiry suggested that approximately fifty family members and associates of Afghans affected by the leak had been killed.

A superinjunction concerning the incident was put in force in late 2023 and prevented all details regarding the matter from media reporting until recently.

Protective Actions

Due to legal constraints, the whistleblower and the non-governmental organization associated with informed Afghan families they were supporting that they had “apprehensions that certain devices had been intercepted”.

“Our suggestion was that they moved where feasible and switched their phone numbers. Those were the crucial data that, if authorities had access to this information, would cause their location being found,” the source testified.

Disputed Conclusions

Person A disputed that government assessment performed by an ex-government employee had been incorrect to state that the possession of the information by militant forces was “not significantly alter an individual's existing exposure”.

“The crucial point is that these individuals are not standing up to the authorities; they live secretly. All concerns relate to past work history.”

The source explained terrible treatment experienced by affected individuals, including electric shock torture, waterboarding, and severe beatings.

“Instances include toddlers who have had bones crushed to force relatives to disclose hiding places,” Person A stated.