When a single spreadsheet went public in February 2022, the lives of nearly 19,000 Afghan allies hung in the balance.
Only after the UK High Court lifted a super-injunction did Defense Minister John Healey step forward to unveil a secret rescue effort to parliament. "This was a serious departmental error," Healey admitted, warning that lives may have been at stake.
The leak, blamed on an official’s mistake just six months after Taliban fighters seized Kabul, exposed names, contact details and risk assessments of Afghans who had asked for relocation.
By April 2024, the previous government quietly rolled out the Afghan Response Route, a program designed to fast-track those judged at highest risk. So far, about 900 Afghans and 3,600 family members have arrived or are in transit, at an estimated cost of $535 million. Applications from another 600 people have been approved, driving the total bill to $1.37 billion.
These evacuees are part of roughly 36,000 Afghans Britain has welcomed under various schemes since August 2021. The scandal shines a spotlight on data security in crisis zones and raises tough questions about how governments protect vulnerable allies.
With super-injunctions now gone, MPs will push for stronger oversight. Can the UK learn from this breach to safeguard future operations and restore trust?
Reference(s):
UK Afghan asylum scandal comes to light after super-injunction lifted
cgtn.com
