In 2022, a significant data breach compromised the personal details of nearly 19,000 Afghans who applied for UK relocation after the Taliban’s 2021 takeover.
The breach, caused by an unnamed Ministry of Defence official mistakenly emailing a spreadsheet outside authorized systems, exposed names, contact details, and family information.
The UK government responded by launching the Afghan Relocation Route, a covert scheme kept secret for over three years under a superinjunction.
Since its inception in May 2023, the Afghan Relocation Route has facilitated the resettlement of 4,500 Afghans to the UK, with 600 more individuals and their families still to arrive.
The scheme, costing £400 million so far, is projected to incur an additional £400-450 million before its closure, though existing relocation offers will be honored.
Those affected by the breach were only informed on Tuesday, with the government urging them to exercise caution in their online activities to mitigate potential risks.
A High Court ruling on Tuesday lifted the superinjunction, allowing public disclosure of the breach and the relocation scheme’s details.
The breach, described as a “serious departmental error,” prompted an independent review, which deemed it “highly unlikely” that individuals were targeted solely due to the leak.
The government’s response included a sincere apology from Defence Secretary John Healey, acknowledging the breach’s severity and its impact on vulnerable Afghans.