Britain secretly launched a multibillion-pound relocation scheme to bring thousands of Afghans to the U.K. after one of the worst data breaches in its history exposed sensitive personal details, placing them at risk of Taliban reprisals.
The operation, initiated under the previous Conservative government, followed a 2022 Ministry of Defence (MoD) leak that accidentally disclosed private information of Afghans who worked with British forces. The data was later published on Facebook, raising fears of retribution as the Taliban consolidated power.
Concerns over the safety of those affected led to a covert relocation program involving roughly 4,500 people and costing taxpayers an estimated £2 billion ($2.7 billion). The initiative remained under a court-imposed superinjunction — preventing media coverage — until it was lifted Tuesday.
Defence Minister John Healey issued a formal apology in Parliament, acknowledging the MoD's grave failure.
"This serious data incident should never have happened,” Healey said. "It may have occurred under the previous government, but to all whose data was compromised, I offer a sincere apology.”
The leak included correspondence from members of Parliament and senior military figures who had supported the Afghan applicants' relocation.
Healey noted that, despite the scale of the breach, a recent review concluded there was little evidence the Taliban had actively sought retribution. As such, no additional Afghan asylum applications linked to the incident will be considered.
The review’s summary, also released Tuesday, said more than 16,000 Afghans have been relocated to the U.K. since the Taliban's return to power in 2021, though many were brought in under separate resettlement programs.
Legal challenges are mounting as affected individuals seek compensation. Sean Humber, a lawyer at Leigh Day, said victims of the leak "are likely to have strong claims for substantial compensation” due to the distress and fear caused.
The breach occurred when a spreadsheet containing names and personal details of Afghan allies was mistakenly emailed to someone outside government systems.
The Conservative government at the time secured the superinjunction, arguing that disclosing the breach could expose individuals to serious harm or death. Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s new Labour-led government, elected last July, reviewed the order and authorized its removal.
The incident comes as the U.K. faces mounting pressure over public spending and rising anti-immigration sentiment, with the right-wing Reform U.K. party gaining ground in opinion polls.
British troops were first deployed to Afghanistan in 2001, following the 9/11 attacks, and remained engaged in combat until 2014. Thousands of Afghan interpreters and local staff worked alongside British forces until the chaotic withdrawal in 2021.