MoD Data Breach Sparks Largest Covert UK Afghan Evacuation

In February 2022, a Ministry of Defence (MoD) data breach exposed sensitive personal information of more than 18,000 Afghan applicants and their families who had sought sanctuary in the UK under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP). This breach risked the lives of up to 100,000 people due to potential Taliban reprisals and led to the largest covert evacuation in UK peacetime, with over 16,000 Afghans brought to safety in a secret operation costing billions. The government responded by securing a rare and unprecedented contra mundum superinjunction that not only barred publication of the breach but also prohibited revealing the injunction's existence, keeping the crisis hidden from the public and parliament for nearly two years. The superinjunction's secrecy extended to barring journalists and even their editors from reporting on the matter, raising serious concerns about democratic accountability and government transparency. After a prolonged legal battle involving major media outlets and prominent judges, the injunction was lifted in 2025, revealing the scale of the breach and prompting calls for further investigation into the government's handling of the crisis. Despite the breach, at least 6,900 Afghans have been evacuated since, but the majority of applicants remain in Afghanistan, with continued concerns over their safety and data protection.