Afghanistan earthquake death toll mounts and Taliban officials say almost 1,000 people injured

November 5, 2025

The death toll from a powerful earthquake that struck northern Afghanistan early on Monday climbed to 27 on Tuesday, with almost 1,000 others confirmed injured by the temblor, according to national health officials.
The U.S Geological Survey said the 6.3 magnitude quake was centered near Kholm, in the northern Samangan province, but Afghanistan’s Taliban government has reported damage and casualties in at least five other provinces.

Videos posted online show the quake lasting about 20 seconds. It was so powerful that it was felt in the capital Kabul and neighboring countries, causing panic for families early Monday morning.

Sharafat Zaman, a spokesman for the Ministry of Public Health, said 27 people were killed, most of them in Samangan and the neighboring Balkh provinces. There were also confirmed deaths in Baghlan, Kunduz, Sar-e-Pul and Jawzjan provinces, with a total of 953 confirmed injuries.

The Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority has reported that over 500 homes were partially or fully damaged in the earthquake, leaving families at immediate risk of displacement and in urgent need as temperatures drop with the onset of winter.

In Mazar-i-Sharif, the provincial capital of Balkh, the quake caused significant damage to the famed 15th-century Blue Mosque, according to regional government spokesman Haji Zahid, who shared a video of the damage on his social media account.

Humanitarian aid organizations, many of them reeling from recent funding cuts by the U.S. and other governments, have deployed teams to help facilitate the delivery of emergency health care and other essential items to those affected.

6.3 magnitude earthquake strikes Afghanistan
An infographic shows the location of a 6.3 magnitude earthquake that struck northern Afghanistan early on Nov. 3, 2025.Mehmet Yaren Bozgun/Anadolu/Getty

“Afghanistan faces repeated disasters — earthquakes, floods, and droughts, all worsened by the climate crisis. At the same time, the country is experiencing a severe food crisis driven by drought, economic collapse, and the withdrawal of vital funding,” ActionAid’s country director for Afghanistan, Srikanta Mirsa, said in a statement. “One in five Afghans faces acute hunger, with millions more severely malnourished.”

Over the past two years, Afghanistan has been struck by multiple deadly earthquakes, including a powerful temblor that hit the country’s east in late August, killing 2,200 people and leaving thousands of families without shelter, clean water, and medical care, according to the United Nations and Afghan authorities.

“In this moment of profound need, the world cannot turn away. Every cut to international aid further weakens the resilience and recovery of millions of Afghans already living in crisis,” said Mirsa.

Afghanistan earthquake death toll mounts and Taliban officials say almost 1,000 people injured
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WHO Deploys Emergency Teams After Powerful Earthquake Hits Northern Afghanistan

November 3, 2025
By Fidel Rahmati
Khaama Press

 

The World Health Organization has deployed emergency teams and medical supplies to northern Afghanistan after a 6.3-magnitude earthquake killed dozens and injured hundreds across several provinces.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has dispatched emergency response teams and medical supplies to the quake-affected provinces of Balkh, Samangan, and Baghlan following Sunday night’s 6.3-magnitude earthquake, which left dozens dead and hundreds injured. The teams are working to deliver urgent care and assess the needs of affected communities.

In a statement released Monday, WHO said medical and rescue personnel have been deployed to provide emergency assistance, treatment, and health services to those impacted. The teams are conducting rapid assessments to identify immediate needs such as medicine, food, and clean water for survivors.

WHO officials emphasized that Afghanistan is still reeling from the effects of previous deadly quakes in the east, and that a significant number of people in northern regions now require sustained humanitarian aid. The organization said its priority remains saving lives, treating the wounded, and supporting grieving families.

Coordination is underway with local authorities, provincial health departments, and other international partners to ensure relief supplies reach all affected areas efficiently. Mobile medical units and trauma care teams have been stationed in remote zones where infrastructure has been severely damaged.

The earthquake, which struck late Sunday, caused significant destruction across northern Afghanistan. Buildings collapsed, roads were damaged, and residents fled their homes in fear of aftershocks. Officials warned that the casualty figures could rise as rescue workers access isolated mountain villages.

As night temperatures drop, humanitarian agencies are racing to provide emergency shelter, blankets, and clean water to displaced families. The situation is particularly dire for children and the elderly, many of whom have been left without safe housing or medical support.

International aid groups, including the United Nations and the International Red Crescent, have pledged additional assistance. Relief efforts are being closely monitored amid growing concerns that Afghanistan’s fragile healthcare system may struggle to meet the scale of medical and logistical demands following yet another devastating natural disaster.

WHO Deploys Emergency Teams After Powerful Earthquake Hits Northern Afghanistan
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Returnees Fear Winter Without Shelter or Heating Supplies

November 3, 2025
TOLOnews
TV Network
3 Nov 2025

According to the agency, from September 1 to October 18 of this year, 404,431 individuals were returned to Afghanistan from Iran and Pakistan.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has announced the provision of winter assistance for returnees as well.

According to the agency, from September 1 to October 18 of this year, 404,431 individuals were returned to Afghanistan from Iran and Pakistan.

Faramarz Barzin, Deputy Spokesperson for UNHCR Afghanistan, told TOLOnews: “Through shelter assistance, the UNHCR in Afghanistan supports families without safe and warm housing, either by repairing homes, constructing new ones, or providing aid items such as heaters, kitchen supplies, and, where possible, additional cash assistance.”

Abdul Aziz, 56 years old, was deported from Iran two months ago after living there for 15 years. Initially, he took refuge in Baghlan province, but due to lack of work and housing, he has now moved toward Kunduz.

He came to a migrant camp in Kabul to check on a relative who had been deported from Pakistan and shared his concern about the lack of winter resources for his six children.

Abdul Aziz, a returnee from Iran, told TOLOnews: “Our request to the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is to provide us with food and heating supplies so our children do not fall ill during the winter.”

Khodadad, a returnee from Pakistan, said: “Nights are getting colder here. We need winter resources. The government must support us in this regard.”

Habibullah, who was just over a year old when his family migrated to Pakistan, is now playing with his child. His main concern since returning is how to care for his family during the cold season.

Habibullah, a returnee from Pakistan, said: “Winter is near, and the weather is getting cold. Without proper resources, it is difficult to take care of our children. We need assistance in housing and heating supplies.”

Meanwhile, the forced deportation of Afghan migrants from host countries, especially Iran and Pakistan has intensified in recent years.

While the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has assured support for returnees, it has consistently called on host countries to stop the forced expulsion of Afghan migrants.

Returnees Fear Winter Without Shelter or Heating Supplies
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Another Deadly Quake, and a Cascade of Calamities for Afghanistan

November 3, 2025
By Safiullah PadshahYaqoob,  AkbaryElian Peltier and Mike Ives

The New York Times

Published Nov. 2, 2025

Ghulam Mahmoodi was sleeping with his six relatives in their house’s single bedroom when a powerful tremor jolted him from bed early Monday.

He grabbed two of his daughters and they rushed outside into the thick of northern Afghanistan’s night. Then, Mr. Mahmoodi, 40, went back inside to rescue his mother and his wife.

But their third daughter, Zainab, remained stuck under debris: The hill overlooking their house had collapsed on its roof, and hours later, Zainab, 10, was declared dead.

The 6.3-magnitude quake that struck northern Afghanistan just before 1 a.m. local time on Monday killed at least 20 people, injured more than 520 others and damaged countless buildings, including one of the country’s most iconic landmarks, according to the Afghan authorities. It was the latest natural disaster to batter the ailing nation.

The quake’s epicenter was near the city of Mazar-i-Sharif, home to about 500,000 people and known for its magnificent 15th-century Blue Mosque, whose iconic turquoise tiles fell from its minarets. Parts of its walls and historical writings were also destroyed in the quake.

Households were swallowed under the rubble. The ordeal of Mr. Mahmoodi’s family and the shattered lives in the northern provinces of Balkh and Samangan echo the destruction from another earthquake that Afghan officials have said killed at least 2,200 people in eastern Afghanistan in August.

The quake was the latest in a cascade of catastrophes to hit Afghanistan this year, including the severe impact of aid cuts, the return of more than two million Afghans from neighboring countries and the prospect of a war with neighboring Pakistan.

As Afghanistan moves closer to winter, households displaced by the quake in August are still sleeping in tents. Families have returned from Pakistan and Iran in droves amid rising xenophobia, and many are struggling to find a home as housing prices in cities like Kabul, the capital, have skyrocketed.

By Monday night, it was unclear if the death toll would increase sharply or not, and if rescue teams from the Afghan emergency services and international nonprofits had reached all the affected areas. The Afghan Ministry of Defense mentioned deaths and injuries in a statement but did not provide figures.

On Monday afternoon, about 20 injured people rested on beds at a hospital in Mazar-i-Sharif, one of Afghanistan’s largest cities. Some wore heavy bandages stained with blood around their limbs or heads. Nakarulden, a farmer who goes by his first name, said he had been traveling back to Mazar-i-Sharif with fellow agricultural workers after laboring in rice fields when the quake struck and a boulder fell on their car. He said three men from his group had died.

The quake shattered fragile livelihoods. Abdul Aziz Kamawal said doctors had told him he needed the equivalent of $600 for surgery to his broken femur — four months’ salary as an employee in an iron factory.

Afghanistan is prone to earthquakes because it lies at the convergence of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates. The August quake flattened villages in hard-to-reach mountainous areas and caused at least $183 million in damage, according to the World Bank — equivalent to about 1 percent of the country’s gross domestic product.

A previous earthquake in northwestern Afghanistan killed nearly 1,500 people in 2023, according to official figures.

Four years after the Taliban reclaimed power in Afghanistan, more than half the country’s 42 million people were in need of humanitarian assistance. The country, isolated from much of the world except for a few neighbors, has been further strained by the recent return of more than two million Afghans.

A sharp drop in foreign aid this year, driven by cuts by the Trump administration and European countries, has forced the closure of hundreds of health care facilities.

The quake on Monday hit the provinces of Samangan and Balkh in the north, near the border with Uzbekistan. In Mazar-i-Sharif, the capital of Balkh, locals were clearing debris from the grounds of the Blue Mosque, an important pilgrimage site among Shia Muslims and a place of celebrations for Nowruz, the Persian New Year. The mosque is said to be the burial site of Ali, the son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad and the first Shia imam.

The mosque was still standing on Monday evening, but visitors, worshipers and journalists were barred from entering the complex.

In Mr. Mahmoodi’s lush village of Muhammad Rahim Sarkhel, a 90-minute drive from Mazar-i-Sharif, his house, with all the family’s possessions and food, remained buried under rubble nearly a day after the quake woke him up.

“Now I have nothing — no food, no home and no hope for surviving,” he said.

Another Deadly Quake, and a Cascade of Calamities for Afghanistan
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Powerful 6.3 quake kills at least 20 in Afghanistan, hundreds injured

November 3, 2025

By

Reuters

  • At least 20 killed and over 600 injured, officials say
  • UN, India pledge support
  • Power impacted across country
  • Part of Mazar’s historic Blue Mosque damaged
KABUL, Nov 3 (Reuters) – A powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck near the northern Afghan city of Mazar-e Sharif early on Monday, killing at least 20 people, injuring hundreds and damaging the city’s historic Blue Mosque, authorities said, with the death toll likely to rise.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake hit at a depth of 28 km (17.4 miles) near Mazar-e Sharif, a city of around 523,000 people famous for its shrines and historic sites.

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Mohammad Rahim, a survivor in Tashqurghan district close to the quake’s epicentre, said the earth shook violently for around 15 seconds.
“When we finally got outside, there was so much dust in the air that we couldn’t see anything,” he told Reuters while standing in front of a collapsed building.
His mother and brother, who were both trapped in the rubble, were eventually freed by rescue workers and other locals, he said.

CASUALTIES REACH INTO HUNDREDS

At least 20 people were killed and 643 were injured, 25 of them seriously, according to preliminary figures from the Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority.
“Our rescue and health teams have arrived in the area, and all nearby hospitals have been put on standby by the leadership to treat the injured,” Health Ministry spokesperson Sharfat Zaman said.
The United Nations mission in Afghanistan said in a post on social media platform X it was on the ground supporting rescue efforts.
“We stand with the affected communities and will provide necessary support,” the post said.
India, which has been seeking to reset relations with the Taliban after severing diplomatic ties following their 2021 takeover of Afghanistan, also pledged support.
“Indian relief material for the earthquake impacted communities is being handed over today. Further supplies of medicines to reach soon,” Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said in a post on X.

BLUE MOSQUE

The earthquake damaged part of the Blue Mosque, considered one of the holiest sites in Afghanistan and believed to be the burial site of the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Mohammad, Balkh province spokesperson Haji Zaid said.
The current structure was built in the 15th century.
Footage shared on social media and verified by Reuters showed broken masonry and tiles lying in the courtyard of the mosque, though the main structure remained standing.
The disaster is the latest challenge for war-torn Afghanistan’s Taliban administration, already grappling with crises including an August quake that killed thousands in the east of the country, a sharp drop in foreign aid and mass deportations of Afghan refugees by neighbouring countries.
The quake disrupted power across the country, including to the capital Kabul, national power supplier Da Afghanistan Breshna Company said in a statement.
Aid group Save The Children said the latest earthquake added to the humanitarian burden on the country, arriving just before winter when temperatures can drop below freezing.
“As temperatures fall, thousands of children in the earthquake-devastated east of the country are facing the winter with only tents for protection from the rain and snow,” said Samira Sayed Rahman, a programme development and advocacy director in the country.
“Now, families in the north are also experiencing fear and uncertainty after this latest powerful quake.”
Afghanistan is particularly vulnerable to quakes as it lies on two active faults that have the potential to rupture and cause extensive damage.
More than 2,200 people were killed and thousands more injured after a quake and strong aftershocks hit the country at the end of August.

Reporting by Mohammad Yunus Yawar in Kabul and Angela Christy in Bengaluru; Writing by Ariba Shahid, YP Rajesh and Alasdair Pal; Editing by Stephen Coates

Powerful 6.3 quake kills at least 20 in Afghanistan, hundreds injured
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Afghanistan, Pakistan have been hit by a spate of quakes in recent years

November 3, 2025

By Reuters

Nov 3 (Reuters) – A 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck near the northern Afghan city of Mazar-e Sharif early on Monday, killing at least seven people and injuring about 150, just months after a quake and strong aftershocks killed more than 2,200 people at the end of August.
Here are some recent quakes in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region which lies at the intersection of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates.

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2025

** A magnitude 6.2 quake struck southeastern Afghanistan just before midnight on August 31. It was followed by a series of strong aftershocks over the next week, killing more than 2,200 people and injuring thousands.
** A magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck Pakistan on May 10, the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre said.
** Quakes of magnitude 5.6 and 5.8 hit the Hindu Kush and Afghanistan-Tajikistan border regions on April 16 and 19, respectively.
** A magnitude 5 earthquake struck Pakistan on April 12.
** Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi was hit by several moderate or minor tremors in March and June.

2024

** A magnitude 5.5 earthquake hit the Hindu Kush region in Afghanistan on October 17.
** An earthquake of magnitude 5.75 struck Pakistan on September 11.

** Earthquakes of magnitude 5.5 and 5.8 struck Pakistan between March 19 and March 20.

** An earthquake of magnitude 5.5 hit northwestern Kashmir on February 19.

** A magnitude 6.3 earthquake hit the Hindu Kush region in Afghanistan on January 11.
** A magnitude 5 earthquake hit the Afghanistan-Tajikistan border region on January 5.

2023

** An earthquake of magnitude 5.3 hit the Afghanistan-Tajikistan border region on November 15.
** Around 1,000 people died as multiple earthquakes rattled Afghanistan in October.
** On August 6, an earthquake of magnitude 5.1 hit the Afghanistan-Tajikistan border.
** Earthquakes of magnitude 5.6 and 5.7 hit the Hindu Kush region in Afghanistan on May 3 and on August 5, respectively.
** An earthquake of magnitude 6.5 hit northern Afghanistan in late March, killing at least 13.,
** A magnitude 5.8 earthquake hit the Hindu Kush region in Afghanistan on January 5.

2022

** An earthquake of magnitude 4.3 hit southeastern Afghanistan on December 16.
** Over September 5 and 6, at least two earthquakes struck Afghanistan, killing at least eight people.
** A magnitude 5.6 quake struck Pakistan’s southwestern region on August 1.
** A magnitude 6 earthquake in Afghanistan killed more than 1,000 people in June.
** A magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck the Hindu Kush region in Afghanistan on February 5.
** An earthquake of magnitude 5.6 hit western Afghanistan on January 17.

2021

** At least 15 people were killed after an earthquake struck southern Pakistan on October 7.
** A magnitude 4.6 earthquake shook Afghanistan on May 19.
Afghanistan, Pakistan have been hit by a spate of quakes in recent years
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Mujahid: U.S. Drones Violating Afghan Airspace via Pakistan

November 2, 2025
Bibi Amina Hakimi
TOLOnews’ Reporter
2 Nov 2025

He emphasized that the only unresolved issue in talks between Afghanistan and Pakistan is the matter of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, confirmed in an interview with TOLOnews that U.S. drones are entering Afghan airspace by passing through Pakistani territory.

Mujahid stated that just as Pakistan demands that Afghan soil not be used against it, representatives of the Islamic Emirate have requested during talks in Istanbul that Islamabad ensure its land and airspace are not used against Afghanistan.

He said: “American drones are indeed operating in Afghanistan’s skies; they pass through Pakistani airspace and violate our airspace. This must not happen. They [Pakistan] are helpless here, they can’t stop it. Naturally, this should be seen as a form of incapability, and we understand that.”

The spokesperson also added that a particular military faction in Pakistan may be supported by global powers with the intent of escalating tensions between Kabul and Islamabad.

Without naming any specific countries, he said that certain entities, who were once in conflict with Afghanistan or had ambitions of controlling Bagram are now seeking to create regional instability through pressure and provocation.

Mujahid stated: “We suspect that major global powers, those who once clashed with us or claimed Bagram are behind this pressure. They don’t come directly, but they assign others to provoke unrest in the region and create pretexts. We stand firm against any conspiracy and won’t allow misguided ambitions to become reality in the region.”

He emphasized that the only unresolved issue in talks between Afghanistan and Pakistan is the matter of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

According to him, Islamabad wants the Islamic Emirate to control TTP activity within Pakistan, but this request is beyond Kabul’s authority.

Mujahid explained: “In both the Doha and Istanbul meetings, Pakistan’s demand has been that TTP is a problem for them, and the Islamic Emirate must control it. We’ve made it clear that while we do not allow TTP to operate against any country from Afghan soil, Pakistan is now asking us to control TTP inside Pakistan which is beyond our jurisdiction.”

He further stressed that, contrary to Pakistani officials’ claims, TTP does not operate under the Islamic Emirate’s umbrella and instead is a product of Pakistan’s own policies in its tribal regions.

Mujahid: U.S. Drones Violating Afghan Airspace via Pakistan
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Afghanistan Approves Five-Year Plan to Replace Poppy Cultivation

November 2, 2025
Liluma Qadiry
Tolo News
2 Nov 2025

Meanwhile, several farmers stated that due to poverty and lack of livelihood opportunities, they had previously turned to poppy cultivation.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has announced the approval of a five-year alternative livelihood plan aimed at providing lawful and sustainable economic opportunities for the country’s farmers.

This initiative follows the decree of the Islamic Emirate’s leadership banning the cultivation of poppy.

According to the ministry, the implementation of this plan and the development of value chains in agricultural products will require approximately 4.79 billion Afghanis. It is expected that 149,900 farmers will benefit directly and more than 1.049 million others indirectly from the program.

Sher Mohammad Hatami, spokesperson for the Ministry, stated: “This plan is designed to provide halal and sustainable economic opportunities for farmers in the sectors of agriculture, livestock, natural resources, and irrigation.”

The plan includes projects focused on orchard development, grain production, livestock growth, irrigation system improvements, establishment of greenhouses, and training centers for farmers.

The ministry also emphasized that based on Afghanistan’s climatic and economic assessments, crops such as saffron, asafoetida (hing), cotton, wheat, and other agricultural products have been introduced and promoted as alternatives for farmers.

Mr. Hatami said: “The Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan remains committed to supporting and guiding farmers toward legitimate, sustainable, and blessed agricultural production.”

Meanwhile, several farmers stated that due to poverty and lack of livelihood opportunities, they had previously turned to poppy cultivation. However, following its ban, they now face serious economic challenges.

They are calling on the Islamic Emirate to assist them in securing alternative livelihoods.

Barat, a farmer from Badakhshan, said: “We were forced to grow this crop, and now the government doesn’t help us even once a year.”

Azim, another farmer from Badakhshan, said: “We want support in finding alternatives to drug cultivation, because farmers in this province are in need.”

The Ministry of Agriculture also noted that a number of donor countries have pledged support for alternative livelihood initiatives, and some have already begun practical cooperation.

Afghanistan Approves Five-Year Plan to Replace Poppy Cultivation
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Mujahid: Civilian-Military Divide in Pakistan Harming Bilateral Relations

November 2, 2025
 Hayatullah Rahimi
Journalist & Digital Editor
Tolo News

1 Nov 2025

In an interview with Khyber TV, Mujahid said that elements within Pakistan’s military are deliberately working to damage relations between the two countries.

Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, says that Pakistan’s civilian government is interested in establishing relations with Afghanistan based on mutual interests, but the military does not allow it.

In an interview with Khyber TV, Mujahid said that elements within Pakistan’s military are deliberately working to damage relations between the two countries.

“Pakistan’s special envoy for Afghanistan, Sadiq Khan, was in Kabul and had positive talks with Afghan officials, but during the same period, Pakistan carried out attacks on Afghan soil. The civilian government seeks to build relations, but the military damages them,” he added.

Mujahid noted that the closure of crossings along the Durand Line by Pakistan has caused major losses to traders on both sides, and he emphasized that such issues should be kept separate from politics.

In response to a question about Pakistan’s concern over reports of a dam being built on the Kunar River, he said that construction and other activities on Afghan territory are entirely Afghanistan’s right. “If a dam is built on the Kunar River, it won’t harm Pakistan. The water will continue to flow in its natural direction; it will just be used along the way,” he said.

Mujahid also commented on Afghanistan–Pakistan relations during the time of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, saying: “During Imran’s era, ties between the two countries were good, especially in trade, efforts to control TTP, and other areas. Everything was going smoothly.”

He called on Pakistan to share any information it has about terrorist activities on Afghan soil with the Islamic Emirate so appropriate action can be taken.
“The Pakistani side wants us to also prevent incidents happening inside Pakistan, but that is beyond our control. The Islamic Emirate does not want insecurity in Pakistan and remains committed to ensuring that no threat arises from Afghan territory,” he said.

Mujahid expressed hope that the next round of talks between Kabul and Islamabad would involve honest and substantive discussions to find lasting solutions to bilateral issues.

The next round of talks is scheduled to take place on November 5.

Mujahid: Civilian-Military Divide in Pakistan Harming Bilateral Relations
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At least 49 relatives and colleagues of Afghans in data leak have been killed, study suggests

November 1, 2025

The first on-the-ground research into 350 affected people in Afghanistan, the UK or elsewhere has found that, of the 231 respondents who received notification from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) that their data had been leaked, 49 responded that either a colleague or a family member had been killed as a result of the data breach.

The research, submitted to the Commons defence select committee inquiry into the data breach, found that, of those surveyed, 200 of the 231 notified (87%) reported threats made to themselves or members of their families, while 99 (43%) reported a direct threat made to their life as a result of the data breach. A total of 121 (52%) said that family or friends in Afghanistan had been threatened by the Taliban.

Olivia Clark, the executive director of Refugee Legal Support, which conducted the research in partnership with academics from Lancaster and York Universities, said: “This research lays bare the devastating human consequences of the MoD data breach. By centring Afghan voices and documenting their experiences, it fills a critical gap in understanding the real-world impact of the breach.

“Afghans who served alongside UK forces have faced renewed threats, violent assaults, and even the killing of family members after their personal details were exposed.

“The UK government must act urgently to ensure their safety, accelerate relocation applications, and provide proper redress for those whose lives have been put at risk.”

Details of nearly 19,000 people who had applied to move to the UK after the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan were leaked mistakenly in February 2022 by a British official. The previous government found out about this in August 2023 when details were posted on Facebook.

A superinjunction blocking reporting about the breach was subsequently imposed preventing details being reported until July of this year, when it was lifted.

The Daily Telegraph reported in July that more than 200 former Afghan soldiers and police officers were killed in the wake of the data breach. However, it is not known how many of them had their names included on the data leak list.

However, an MoD spokesperson referred to a previous review, arguing “it is highly unlikely that merely being on a spreadsheet would be grounds for an individual to be targeted”.

A former Afghan National Army member in Afghanistan, who took part in the research, said: “The delay between the discovery of the data breach in 2023 and the communication in July 2025 is deeply concerning and unacceptable. Waiting almost two years to inform individuals that their personal data was compromised has put many lives at risk unnecessarily.

“Immediate notification could have allowed us to take protective measures much earlier. This delay shows a serious lack of urgency and responsibility from the Ministry of Defence, especially considering the sensitive nature of our backgrounds and the high-risk environment we live in.”

In other evidence to the defence committee’s inquiry, a man referred to as Person A, who describes himself as an independent volunteer caseworker working with Afghans at risk, said he was alerted to the data breach on 13 August 2023 and flagged it to the MoD but did not receive a reply until 21 August 2023 when he tagged a defence minister in a social media post.

He said he believed UK government officials had prioritised the wrong people for evacuation after the leak. He cited evacuation of farmers, barbers and gardeners before some members of the UK special forces who were likely to be at higher risk from the Taliban.

One British Afghan who submitted evidence described the MoD’s failure to protect sensitive information as “a reckless breach and betrayal of trust” while others said highly qualified Afghans who had been brought to the UK were working in jobs they were overqualified for, such as delivery driving.

A resettlement scheme for those affected by the breach, the Afghanistan Response Route, set up in April 2024 after Rishi Sunak’s Conservative government learned of the breach, has enabled 4,500 Afghans so far to arrive in the UK.

An MoD spokesperson said: “The independent Rimmer review, conducted based on existing assessments, expertise and reflections from current Afghanistan work, focused on those most able to provide a high level of insight into the current situation as of spring 2025, and concluded that it is highly unlikely that merely being on the spreadsheet would be grounds for an individual to be targeted.”

At least 49 relatives and colleagues of Afghans in data leak have been killed, study suggests
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