In the data breach, the names of nearly 19,000 Afghans who helped the British army when it fought against the Taliban between 2001 and 2021 were leaked. This led to a life-threatening situation for the people on the list and their relatives.
After the Western-backed Afghan government collapsed in 2021, the Taliban regained power. The new government saw everyone who collaborated with the British or other foreign forces as traitors. A few of the people on the list are said to have been killed, according to information from Sky News, but it is unclear whether this is due to the data breach.
Defence Minister John Healey revealed the mistake on Tuesday, after a court lifted a secrecy order that prohibited British media from reporting on it.
Approximately 900 of the Afghans on the leaked list, and 3,600 family members, have been or will be relocated to the United Kingdom.
