At least 49 relatives and colleagues of Afghans in data leak have been killed, study suggests

Research also finds 200 of 231 people notified by MoD of breach reported threats to themselves or families

At least 49 family members and colleagues of Afghans affected by the MoD’s mass data breach have been killed, according to research submitted to a parliamentary committee.

The first on-the-ground research into 350 affected people in Afghanistan, the UK or elsewhere has found that, of the 231 respondents who received notification from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) that their data had been leaked, 49 responded that either a colleague or a family member had been killed as a result of the data breach.

The research, submitted to the Commons defence select committee inquiry into the data breach, found that, of those surveyed, 200 of the 231 notified (87%) reported threats made to themselves or members of their families, while 99 (43%) reported a direct threat made to their life as a result of the data breach. A total of 121 (52%) said that family or friends in Afghanistan had been threatened by the Taliban.

Olivia Clark, the executive director of Refugee Legal Support, which conducted the research in partnership with academics from Lancaster and York Universities, said: “This research lays bare the devastating human consequences of the MoD data breach. By centring Afghan voices and documenting their experiences, it fills a critical gap in understanding the real-world impact of the breach.