The British Ministry of Defense announced the start of an investigation into the data breach of 250 Afghan translators who collaborated with British forces in Afghanistan.
A spokesman for the ministry said that the breach occurred with the Afghan resettlement program team, and the ministry pledged to do everything in its power to ensure that such breaches are not repeated.
It is feared that this will expose the Afghan collaborators to reprisals.
British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace has apologized after erroneously disclosing personal data belonging to Afghan translators seeking to stay in the UK.
This comes while announcing the dismissal of an official in the ministry against the background of this "unacceptable mistake".
The minister explained that the relevant persons authorized to apply for residency in Britain after the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan have been informed and given directions on what they should do.
"This level of performance is unacceptable," the minister said. "On behalf of the Ministry of Defense, I apologize."
He stressed that this error "raised his anger", stressing that he "immediately requested an investigation."
"One individual has been dismissed, pending what the investigations will reveal, and the ways of dealing with data and means of communication have been changed," the minister said.
British Defense Minister admitted that Afghan interpreters are in danger (Reuters)
Error and consequences
The BBC reported that the email addresses of more than 250 Afghans seeking to stay in Britain were mistakenly included in an email sent by the Ministry of Defense, which led to the disclosure of their names, sometimes attached to their photos, to all recipients of the message.
Several politicians criticized the government after the incident, pointing to the potential risks to Afghan translators seeking to leave their country since the Taliban took power last month.
"These Afghan translators have told us we will ensure their safety, but this data leak is unnecessarily putting their lives at risk," Representative John Healy, who is in charge of defense issues for the main opposition Labor Party, wrote in a tweet.
He appealed to the government to "urgently step up its efforts to bring these Afghans safely to the UK".
neglect and disapproval
In the Conservative camp, Prime Minister Boris Johnson's party, Representative Johnny Mercer also denounced "criminal negligence", arguing that it would likely force translators to "relocate again" quickly, to avoid reprisals.
For its part, the British Home Office said that 8,500 Afghan collaborators and their families were evacuated last month for fear of being targeted by Taliban members.