The UK government secretly resettled thousands of Afghans who aided British forces after a data leak exposed their identities. Defense Secretary John Healey apologized for the secrecy surrounding the 2022 data breach, which involved a spreadsheet with nearly 19,000 names accidentally released via email. Around 4,500 Afghans and their families have been relocated under the program, costing approximately $1.1 billion. While an independent review found the leak didn't significantly increase their risk, critics express concern for those still at risk and call for compensation.

Prepared by Rachel Morgan and reviewed by editorial team.