By Photo by Spc. Christopher Rodrigo
Thousands of Afghans who were brought to safety in the UK under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (Arap) have had their personal data exposed following a cyber security breach involving a Ministry of Defence (MoD) sub-contractor.
Inflite The Jet Centre, a ground-handling service provider at London Stansted Airport, confirmed that it suffered a data breach which may have compromised the names, passport details, dates of birth, and Arap reference numbers of up to 3,700 individuals. Those affected are believed to have travelled to the UK between January and March 2024 as part of the government’s relocation programme for Afghans who worked alongside British forces.
The breach, which came to light on Friday afternoon, prompted an urgent email alert from the Afghan resettlement team, informing families that their sensitive information may have been accessed.
In a statement, the government said the incident “has not posed any threat to individuals’ safety, nor compromised any government systems,” and there is currently no indication that the data has been made public. However, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has confirmed receipt of a breach report from Inflite, and investigations are underway.
A government spokesperson added:
“We were recently notified that a third-party sub-contractor to a supplier experienced a cyber security incident involving unauthorised access to a small number of its emails that contained basic personal information. We take data security extremely seriously and are going above and beyond our legal duties in informing all potentially affected individuals.”
Inflite stated that the breach appears limited to a few email accounts but has nonetheless taken steps to notify the ICO and is cooperating fully.
The data breach has also affected British military personnel and former Conservative ministers, according to the BBC.
Professor Sara de Jong of the Sulha Alliance, a charity supporting Afghans who worked with the British military, called the breach “astonishing,” warning that those affected already face serious threats.
“The last thing that Afghans – who saved British lives – need is more worries about their own and their families’ safety,” she said.
The breach follows a previously undisclosed 2022 incident, only recently revealed, in which the personal information of nearly 19,000 Afghan applicants under the Arap scheme was mistakenly leaked. That spreadsheet, reportedly emailed in error by an MoD official, contained names, contact details, and family data — and led to thousands being secretly relocated to the UK amid fears of Taliban reprisals.
The BBC’s Newsnight programme has highlighted the human cost of such failures, speaking to the son of a former Afghan special forces member whose family was caught up in the 2022 breach. Despite MoD endorsement, the family had been awaiting a final decision on their Arap application while residing in Pakistan. The man was detained and deported to Afghanistan just hours after his son made an emotional plea to the British government.
“Please help my family and avoid their murder by the Taliban,” the son said.
In response, the MoD reiterated its commitment to resettle eligible Afghans but stated that all applicants must pass strict security and entry checks.
“In some cases people do not pass these checks,” the MoD said.
Former UK National Security Adviser Sir Mark Lyall Grant described both breaches as “deeply embarrassing” and stressed the importance of upholding the UK’s moral obligations.
“We need to move faster to protect people who genuinely are at risk of being persecuted by the Taliban if they return,” he said.
Former Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng labelled the breaches “very serious” and “deeply concerning,” especially for individuals now facing deportation. Meanwhile, Liberal Democrat Defence Spokesperson Helen Maguire condemned the government’s handling of data security, calling it “staggering incompetence.”
Maguire added:
“There must be an immediate, fully independent investigation into these breaches to ensure this never happens again.”
The government continues to face mounting pressure to improve the speed and security of its resettlement efforts amid ongoing threats to those left behind.
