Thousands of Afghans who were brought to safety in Britain after the Taliban’s return to power have been hit by yet another blow — their personal data may have been exposed

in a cyber-attack.

A subcontractor for the Ministry of Defence (MoD), Inflite The Jet Centre, was targeted in a security breach that could have compromised the names, passport details, and relocation records of up to 3,700 Afghans. The firm provides ground-handling services at London Stansted Airport.

For many, the news feels painfully familiar. Just last month, it was revealed that almost 19,000 Afghans who applied to come to the UK were caught up in a separate 2022 data leak.

This latest breach affects Afghans who arrived between January and March 2024 under the government’s resettlement scheme for those who worked alongside British forces. Families received an email from the Afghan resettlement team on Friday, warning that sensitive information — including passport numbers and case reference codes — may have been accessed.

The breach isn’t limited to Afghans. According to the BBC, the personal details of some British military staff and even former Conservative ministers may also have been exposed.

The MoD insists there is no evidence the information has been leaked publicly and stressed that “individuals’ safety has not been compromised.” Still, it said it is notifying everyone potentially affected. Inflite The Jet Centre has reported the incident to the Information Commissioner’s Office, which is now looking into the case.

For those who fled Afghanistan, the reassurance offers little comfort. Professor Sara de Jong, co-director of the Sulha Alliance charity, which supports Afghans who served with British forces, described the breach as “astonishing.”

“The last thing Afghans — who risked their lives for Britain — need is more fear about their own and their families’ safety,” she said, urging the MoD to speed up relocation cases still in limbo.

The timing of the breach is especially painful for families still waiting for help. In one case, reported by BBC Newsnight, the son of a member of Afghanistan’s elite “Triples” special forces revealed his family’s details were exposed in the 2022 leak. The family had fled to Pakistan while awaiting approval for relocation, but their father was recently deported back to Afghanistan. His son fears the Taliban will target them.

“Please help my family and avoid their murder by the Taliban,” he pleaded.

Former national security adviser Sir Mark Lyall Grant called the breaches “deeply embarrassing” for the UK, adding that while strict security checks are needed, Britain must honour its promises to those who served alongside its forces.

Former chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng said the situation was “really concerning,” while the Liberal Democrats described the government’s handling of Afghan data as “staggering incompetence” and demanded an independent investigation.

For the Afghans caught up in this — many of whom left everything behind to serve with British troops — the repeated data failures feel like another betrayal. Their futures remain uncertain, shadowed by fear of what might happen if their information falls into the wrong hands. Photo: Harland Quarrington/MOD, Wikimedia commons.