UK Secretly Airlifts 18,500 Afghans in £7 Billion Operation

The UK government secretly conducted a £7 billion airlift operation, codenamed Operation Rubific, to evacuate approximately 18,500 to 25,000 Afghans who had worked with British forces following the Taliban's return to power in 2021. This large-scale rescue mission was initiated after a data breach in 2022 exposed the identities of nearly 19,000 Afghans, putting them at risk of Taliban reprisals, and was kept hidden from Parliament and the public under a superinjunction for over two years. The scheme, known as the Afghanistan Response Route (ARR), has involved substantial government spending, with estimates ranging from hundreds of millions to £7 billion, and has faced criticism for the lack of transparency and parliamentary scrutiny. The secret evacuation has sparked debate about government accountability, with some evacuees now seeking legal compensation for the risks caused by the data leak. The ARR program was closed in mid-2025 ahead of the superinjunction being lifted, but tens of thousands of Afghans remain in Afghanistan facing peril. Officials defended the secrecy as necessary for national security and the safety of evacuees, while supporters emphasize the UK's moral obligation to protect those who aided British efforts.