Date: July 15, 2025
By: Staff Writer

The UK government has confirmed that it launched a secret relocation programme to resettle thousands of Afghan nationals after a significant data breach by the Ministry of Defence (MoD put lives at risk**. The programme, codenamed Operation Rubicic, remained hidden from public view under a legal super-injunction until July 2025, when the current government lifted the secrecy order amid growing calls for transparency.

A Dangerous Breach

The operation stemmed from a massive data leak in 2022, when an MoD official mistakenly sent an unencrypted email to a group of Afghan nationals who had applied for resettlement under the UK’s Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP). That email, containing the names and email addresses of over 19,000 individuals, was later shared on social media by a recipient, further exposing vulnerable people who had worked alongside British forces during the war in Afghanistan.

The breach was described internally as a potential “kill list” if discovered by the Taliban, and prompted urgent action within Whitehall to mitigate what was deemed a catastrophic security failure.

Operation Rubicic: Secret Lifeline

To prevent retaliation against those exposed, the UK launched Operation Rubicic, a covert resettlement scheme designed to discreetly extract at-risk Afghans and their families. The government coordinated flights and relocation efforts in partnership with international allies and humanitarian organizations.

As of mid-2025, approximately 4,500 individuals had been relocated through the operation, with thousands more eligible under the scheme. The total number of people impacted is believed to exceed 16,000. The government has committed hundreds of millions of pounds toward resettlement, and the final cost of Operation Rubicic could reach £1 billion, according to internal estimates.

Legal Fallout and Government Apology

The data breach has led to legal claims from over 600 Afghans, many alleging that the UK government endangered their lives and failed to act swiftly enough. The MoD has since issued a formal apology and offered compensation to some affected individuals.

In December 2023, the Information Commissioner’s Office fined the MoD £350,000 for the breach, citing “serious and avoidable failures in data protection.” An independent review commissioned by the government found that although there was no evidence of systematic Taliban retaliation linked to the leak, the breach “significantly heightened the risk” for those affected.

Secret No More

The Labour government, elected in 2024, has moved to declassify the operation and publish key findings of the review. Defence Secretary John Healey stated that while the operation was essential, “the public has a right to know when government errors put lives at risk.”

A new online tool has also been launched for Afghan nationals to check if their data was exposed and to receive support or pursue relocation.

Conclusion

The revelation of Operation Rubicic underscores the long-lasting consequences of the UK’s withdrawal from Afghanistan, and the responsibility owed to those who risked their lives supporting British missions. While the relocation effort has undoubtedly saved lives, the secrecy, scale, and cause of the operation have raised serious questions about data security, government accountability, and the moral obligations of Britain to its allies.