Thousands of Afghans who were unable to evacuate to the UK are unlikely to receive compensation following a leak of personal details, according to the Ministry of Defense (MOD). A spokesperson stated that the MOD would “robustly” oppose legal claims, deeming them “hypothetical.” The leak, which involved over 19,000 names, has heightened fears of Taliban retaliation among those affected. An independent review, commissioned by Secretary of Defense John Healy, suggested that simply being mentioned in a leaked spreadsheet is unlikely to put individuals at risk.
Healy announced new measures to restrict discussions about a court order following the review’s completion, asserting that there’s little evidence of a planned retaliation campaign against former officials. Despite the leak resulting from an official mishandling Afghan relocation applications, affected individuals, like Ahmed (not his real name), expressed their concern for family safety in Afghanistan. Ahmed emphasized the need for swift government action to relocate families to safer countries rather than compensation.
The Taliban continues to face international isolation due to human rights abuses, with Russia as its only recognized supporter. An Afghan individual, denied relocation, publicly shared his name on Facebook, further complicating his situation. Since the withdrawal of international troops, more than 36,000 Afghans have relocated to the UK, with the government spending £400 million on the endeavor, though total relocation costs may rise to around £6 billion.
Source link
