British Special Forces and MI6 Spies Exposed in Afghan Data Breach

It’s been described as the worst data breach in British history. It’s a breach that saw the personal details of nearly 20,000 Afghan nationals who supported British forces exposed on social media. Those individuals now face a significant risk and they’ve living in fear of retribution from the Taliban.

The breach, which occurred in 2022, had been kept from public knowledge under a super-injunction – a rare and powerful legal order that not only suppresses the publication of certain information but also prohibits acknowledging the injunction’s very existence. This meant that for more than two years, the British public and, more worryingly those affected, remained unaware of the breach.

Last week (July 15), Barings Law succeeded in having that injunction lifted. As a result, those involved can finally be made aware of the potential threat they face. Shockingly, it’s only now that some Afghan nationals are being informed by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) that their personal information were included in the breach. Many have spoken out about their fear and uncertainty, knowing they may be targeted due to their past support for UK military operations.

Barings Law’s involvement began in early 2025, when we were instructed by people who had discovered that their personal information had been exposed. Upon learning of our involvement, the MoD responded by disclosing the existence of the super-injunction and stating that Barings Law was legally bound by its terms.

During a three-day hearing in May, Barings Law successfully argued for the injunction to be removed, allowing us to communicate with those directly affected by the breach. Ultimately, the injunction was fully discharged, paving the way for transparency, accountability and justice.

While the breach was initially understood to affect only Afghan nationals, it has now emerged that the personal details of more than 100 British officials were also compromised. This included members of the UK special forces, MI6 spies and intelligence officers, senior military personnel and government officials.

This revelation came to light after Defence Secretary John Healey addressed parliament, stating: “In a small number of cases, the names of members of parliament, senior military officers and government officials were noted as supporting the application.”

That application refers to submissions made under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP), in which British personnel vouched for the legitimacy and eligibility of Afghan allies seeking relocation to the UK. The fact that those supporting names – including individuals from sensitive military and intelligence roles – were stored and later exposed raises serious questions about data handling, security protocols and the protection of British national interests.

Barings Law is currently representing around 1,000 clients affected by the breach and we expect that number to rise significantly now that the injunction has been lifted. We are actively representing for both Afghan nationals and British personnel who have been affected by the breach.

Adnan Malik, Head of Data Protection and Privacy at Barings Law said: “This breach is a devastating failure of duty at the highest levels of government. The lives of loyal Afghan allies have been put at risk, and now we know that British officials, including individuals in highly-sensitive roles, have also been compromised. This is a failure with national security implications, and the Ministry of Defence must be held to account.”

At the heart of the claims is a lack of care and control over highly sensitive data. The potential consequences go beyond reputational and emotional – they are life-threatening.

Many Afghan nationals are now in hiding, having previously believed their identities and affiliations had remained protected. Others have reported being denied relocation under the ARAP scheme altogether, with the data breach only compounding their feelings of betrayal.

For British military and government personnel affected, the breach raises both personal and professional risks. Those serving in intelligence, counter-terrorism and other confidential roles are now questioning whether their names being exposed could pose a risk to them.

We are encouraging those who believe their data has been exposed as part of the breach to come forward. We believe that those responsible should be held to account, and that the affected deserve answers, redress and the opportunity to rebuild their life without fear.

If you have been affected by this data breach, you can submit your claim by clicking on the button at the bottom of this page. Our team will work with you to ensure justice is served.