The UK government has apologised for mistakenly leaking the personal data of nearly 18,000 Afghans who applied under the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (ARAP) in 2022. It also revealed a secret relocation scheme, the Afghan Response Route (ARR), set up to protect many of those affected.
Defence Secretary John Healey told Parliament that an official mistakenly sent an email containing the full list of over 18,000 applicants’ names. Fearing Taliban reprisals, the previous government established the ARR, through which around 3,000 individuals underwent strict security checks and were relocated.
A court order had kept details of the breach and the secret programme under wraps for nearly two years. After this injunction was lifted, the government disclosed the incident.
Healey offered a formal apology, stating that while the breach occurred under the previous administration, he was sorry on behalf of the UK government. He added that the Ministry of Defence attempted to contact those affected but faced difficulties due to outdated records.
He described the prolonged secrecy surrounding the issue as “deeply uncomfortable” and called for greater transparency going forward. Healey also urged opposition parties to join in offering an apology.
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The UK government has apologised for mistakenly leaking the personal data of nearly 18,000 Afghans who applied under the Afghan Relocation and Assista...
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Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for 10th July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
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Germany's export slump since 2021 is largely driven by deep-rooted competitiveness issues, the Bundesbank warned in its latest report, calling for urgent structural reforms.
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During the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Tianjin on Wednesday, Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi to discuss the ongoing developments of the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Rumours about Fed Chair sparked market turmoil but Wall Street ends higher . Wall Street closed modestly higher on Wednesday, 16 July, with the Nasdaq Composite hitting a fresh record, despite a brief period of volatility earlier in the day.
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