A shocking revelation has emerged: thousands of Afghans who had their personal information leaked are unlikely to receive any compensation from the UK government. This revelation raises serious concerns about the safety of those still in Afghanistan.

In a statement to the BBC, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) declared it would strongly contest any legal claims regarding compensation, labeling them as "hypothetical claims." Furthermore, they will not be proactively distributing small payouts to those whose lives have been imperiled following the February 2022 breach.

The breach exposed the names and details of over 19,000 individuals, prompting fears of retaliation from the Taliban. Despite these grave concerns, the MoD's spokesperson mentioned an independent review, the Rimmer review, ordered by Defence Secretary John Healey, which suggested that simply being listed on the leaked document was unlikely to be a direct cause for targeting by the Taliban.

In a development this week, Healey announced that a super-injunction preventing any discussion of the leak had been lifted, finally allowing for public acknowledgment of the situation. The Rimmer review concluded there was scant evidence of the Taliban launching a systematic campaign of retaliation against former allies.

Barings Law, a firm representing over 1,000 Afghan clients, is preparing a significant lawsuit regarding the breach, although the current whereabouts of many clients remain uncertain.

The leak itself resulted from an unidentified official emailing a sensitive spreadsheet outside of the secure government system handling Afghan relocation applications, which led to the information spilling into the public domain. The gravity of the revelation didn't come to light until August 2023 when names began appearing on social media.

Among those affected is Ahmed (a pseudonym), who served with the British military in Afghanistan. After relocating to the UK for his safety, he discovered that his family members remaining in Afghanistan were exposed in the leak. He expressed deep concern for their safety, stating they are now continuously relocating and living in fear.

"Compensation won't cure our plight," Ahmed insisted. "What we seriously need from the government is urgent action to relocate our families to the UK or a safe third country. This is an incredibly distressing and terrifying situation for us all."

As international scrutiny of the Taliban increases due to its ongoing human rights abuses, especially against women, the situation for those left behind remains precarious. The UK embassy in Kabul has remained closed since the Taliban's takeover in 2021, adding to the urgency and uncertainty faced by thousands.