The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has admitted there have been more than 12 times as many data breaches linked to its Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (Arap) programme than previously thought. Until now, a total of four breaches were known to have hit Arap, a scheme established back in April 2021 to bring Afghan citizens at risk of Taliban persecution to safety in the UK. However, according to Freedom of Information (FoI) figures released to the BBC, the true number is actually 49.
What began as an isolated incident, which the Ministry of Defence initially sought to keep from public view, has now escalated into a series of catastrophic failings. "We urge the Ministry of Defence to be fully transparent with both those affected and the wider public. Victims should not be forced to learn the truth through legal action or news reports."