Thousands of Afghans put at risk by MoD data breach still stranded and many ‘in danger’ months on

Thousands of Afghans who were put astatine consequence aft their information was leaked by nan Ministry of Defence (MoD) successful a catastrophic blunder are still waiting to beryllium brought to information successful nan UK, much than six months aft nan scandal, The Independent can reveal.

Around 400 group who supported British efforts successful Afghanistan and later had their individual accusation breached by nan UK authorities person been near “trapped” successful Afghanistan and neighbouring countries, struggling to get out.

Some 1,900 of their family members have besides been near successful limbo. One Afghan expert urged nan authorities to “redouble its efforts” to get nan last families out, saying hundreds still “live successful existent threat of reprisals from nan Taliban”.

The latest figures, from December 2025, obtained done state of accusation requests, show really UK evacuations are “working acold excessively slow erstwhile people’s lives are threatened”, campaigners said.

Chair of nan Defence Select Committee Tan Dhesi said that while bringing group from Afghanistan to nan UK is not straightforward, “every period counts”. “Time is evidently of nan principle for Afghans entitled to resettlement successful nan UK who stay successful Afghanistan”, he added.

The MoD said that it is committed to getting group retired of Afghanistan and that nan information breach did not put group astatine accrued risk.

Some 18,700 applicants to nan government’s Afghan resettlement schemes had their individual specifications and interaction accusation leaked by an MoD blunder successful 2022, which was only discovered successful nan summertime of 2023 aft a information of a spreadsheet was shared connected societal media.

The find of nan correction sparked 1 of nan most bonzer concealed authorities operations successful modern history over fears that up to 100,000 lives were successful danger. An unprecedented gagging bid was utilized to screen up nan breach, pinch affected families only discovering nan threat they had perchance been put successful erstwhile nan superinjunction was lifted successful July past year.

When nan MoD’s information nonaccomplishment was revealed, officials said they still needed to evacuate astir 600 Afghans, on pinch 2,400 family members, who were eligible to travel to nan UK owed to their activity for nan British and nan information breach.

A further 2,400, eligible because of nan information loss, were besides yet to beryllium evacuated arsenic of past July. Officials person said that these estimates are not straight comparable pinch nan numbers released to The Independent under FOI because they are calculated differently.

Defence caput John Healey said successful July past twelvemonth that “we will honour nan 600 invitations already made to immoderate named personification still successful Afghanistan and their contiguous family”, adding: “When this federation makes a promise, we should support it.”

However, campaigners and Afghans successful nan UK pass that these families do not person nan financial resources to salary for basal visas and carrier to get retired of nan Taliban-run country. An independent caseworker, known arsenic Person A, who alerted nan authorities to nan MoD data breach successful nan summertime of 2023, said nan UK authorities had withdrawn removal support for nan Afghan families, leaving them “trapped”.

One erstwhile Afghan soldier, brought to nan UK nether nan MoD’s Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (Arap), said his relative and family were approved for relocation much than a twelvemonth agone but person been incapable to flight Afghanistan. The erstwhile typical forces commando said: “My relative is successful a bad financial business arsenic he is not capable to activity nether nan Taliban government. I americium angry because my relative was 1 of nan astir eligible group to travel to nan UK. He was injured during his work to nan British forces; others who are not soldiers person sewage into nan UK, while those for illustration my relative person been near behind.

“I americium grateful for nan thief and support that I person received for myself, but my relative is successful a dire business and I cannot do thing for him. His and his family’s life is successful danger.”

The authorities announced connected Thursday that hundreds of erstwhile members of nan Afghan typical forces person been fixed a way to resettlement successful nan UK aft a reappraisal of their antecedently rejected cases. A full of 884 decisions affecting ex-special forces soldiers person been overturned, but it is not clear really quickly they will beryllium capable to beryllium evacuated.

Daniel Carey, partner astatine Deighton Pierce Glynn, said: “The 884 grants are invited and galore of our clients are among them. However, astir three-quarters of these were approved complete a twelvemonth ago. This figure, therefore, highlights nan very debased support complaint nether nan review, pinch thousands rejected.”

New figures published this period show that tens of thousands of Afghans are still waiting to find retired if they will beryllium fixed sanctuary successful nan UK. The National Audit Office (NAO) recovered that 29,655 group are still waiting to study whether they will beryllium allowed to resettle successful Britain nether Afghan resettlement schemes.

In addition, officials estimate astir 9,741 group are waiting to beryllium brought present aft being accepted. Ministers had committed to bringing each eligible Afghans to nan UK by March 2029; however, nan serviceman successful complaint of nan programme believes they will beryllium incapable to meet this target unless location is “urgent intervention”.

Sarah Fenby-Dixon, Afghanistan advisor astatine nan Refugee Aid Network, said: “While I applaud nan government’s continuing efforts to relocate members of nan Afghan typical forces and their families who were affected by nan information breach, nan process is appallingly slow.

“On a individual level, this intends that group who went into hiding successful 2021 proceed to beryllium incapable to activity and person to alteration their location regularly, causing dreadful psychological and economical consequences. The Arap process is mostly working, but it is moving acold excessively slow erstwhile people’s lives are threatened. The authorities needs to redouble its efforts and guarantee eligible applicants are taken to information arsenic soon arsenic possible.”

Labour MP Mr Dhesi added: “Bringing group from Afghanistan to nan UK is evidently not straightforward. But each period counts. The committee person heard of individuals and families successful hiding and destitution, and successful immoderate cases, moreover losing their lives. As we reason our inquiry, I americium judge we will want to inquire defence ministers astir those near down successful Afghanistan arsenic good arsenic astir those who person been successfully brought to nan UK.”

Independent caseworker Person A added: “The withdrawal of authorities support for families to transportation to Pakistan intends group are trapped successful Afghanistan pinch nary measurement out. These families are destitute, having had nary income since July 2021.

“The delays crossed each evacuations are having terrible consequences, pinch families being impacted by airstrikes successful Afghanistan, Iran and Lebanon. We person mislaid interaction pinch a number of families successful nan past 2 weeks, and we fearfulness nan worst.”

An MoD spokesperson said: “We stay perfectly committed to nan promises we person made to our Afghan friends and friends – including relocating eligible Afghans to nan UK.

“Eligible Afghans are continuing to beryllium relocated to nan UK erstwhile they person UK visas, and we are still aiming for each Afghan Resettlement Program eligible group who wish to relocate to nan UK to do truthful during this parliament.

“The Rimmer reappraisal was clear that it is improbable that those impacted by nan information incident are astatine an accrued consequence of targeting purely arsenic a consequence of being connected nan dataset.”