The UK Ministry of Defence has said it will not compensate thousands of Afghans whose personal details were leaked in 2022 but who were not evacuated. Over 19,000 names were exposed, sparking fears of Taliban retribution, according to BBC.
An independent review found it unlikely that being on the leaked list alone would make someone a target. Defence Secretary John Healey has since lifted a super-injunction that had kept the breach confidential.
Law firm Barings Law is preparing legal action on behalf of over 1,000 affected Afghans. One former UK military worker, now in Britain, said his family—still in Afghanistan—remains in hiding and urged the government to prioritise their relocation.
More than 16,000 people were deemed at risk from the leak. The UK has spent £400m on Afghan resettlement so far, with total costs expected to rise to £6bn, BBC reported.
