What started as a catastrophic data breach by the Ministry of Defence has now exploded into one of the biggest political controversies of the year.
For nearly two years, the British public had no idea that thousands of Afghans were being secretly flown into the UK—at a staggering cost—under a veil of total silence.
Now, that secrecy has been shattered.
A Hidden Operation Triggered by a Dangerous Mistake
It all began in 2023 when the UK military accidentally leaked a sensitive database containing personal details of tens of thousands of Afghans who had applied for sanctuary in Britain.
According to the government’s own words, the leak put 100,000 people at risk of being killed by the Taliban—and even exposed British officials.
Instead of going public, the Ministry of Defence went straight to court.
They secured a super-injunction, a powerful legal gag order that not only prevented reporting but also banned acknowledging that the injunction even existed.
And so, for 23 months, the press—and Parliament—was completely silenced.
Operation Rubific: The Evacuation Britain Didn’t Know About
Behind the scenes, the government scrambled to make amends for its blunder.
They launched Operation Rubific, a secretive airlift mission to extract Afghans placed in danger by the data breach.
Every few weeks, unmarked government planes quietly landed at UK airports like Stansted and RAF Brize Norton, carrying hundreds of evacuees.
These individuals were housed in Ministry of Defence accommodations or hotels, with the public none the wiser.
So far, around 18,500 Afghans have already arrived or are en route to Britain. Another 5,400 are expected to follow.
But more than 70,000 remain behind in Afghanistan, now left to fend for themselves after the scheme abruptly closed yesterday.
Questions Over Cost and Transparency Spark Political Fury
While MPs and taxpayers were kept in the dark, ministers quietly signed off a projected £7 billion budget for the mission last October.
This figure was repeatedly cited in the secret High Court hearings.
But now, with the injunction lifted, Defence Secretary John Healey claims the cost is actually somewhere between £400 million and £850 million, and that only 6,900 people were rescued specifically due to the data leak.
His figures contradict court documents and have raised eyebrows across the political spectrum.
One MoD official attempted to explain the difference, saying not all Afghans arriving were directly linked to the breach—some were already eligible through other relocation schemes.
But for many, the numbers just don’t add up.
Legal Fallout and Public Accountability on the Horizon
Now that the story is out, the consequences are beginning to snowball.
At least 1,000 Afghans are preparing to sue the UK government for mishandling their data, with compensation claims that could add another £1 billion to the already massive bill.
Adnan Malik, a solicitor from Barings Law representing many of the claimants, criticized the government’s inconsistent narrative.
“We’re hearing things now that contradict what was said in court,” he said, calling on the MoD to be honest with the public.
Housing Crisis and Local Unrest Add to the Tension
Beyond the money and legal risks, there are real-world impacts across Britain.
The MoD has handed over 20% of its housing stock to Afghan arrivals.
It’s estimated that 1 in 10 evacuees could end up in the UK’s homelessness system, amid an already strained housing market.
Leaked internal warnings even suggested that areas receiving large numbers of new arrivals had been identified as “hotspots” during last summer’s riots.
MoD officials also feared the end of the injunction could spark public disorder.
The Courts Push Back Against Government Secrecy
During the secret hearings, Mr Justice Chamberlain, the judge presiding over the case, expressed deep concern about the government’s efforts to keep everything hidden.
At one point, he questioned whether he was “going bonkers” over the £7 billion figure, and openly doubted whether the secrecy was truly justified.
Yesterday, he formally lifted the super-injunction, declaring: “There is no tenable basis for the continuation of the super-injunction.”
Still, the government quickly filed another injunction—this time to block the press from publishing specific details found in the leaked database.
Calls for Investigation Grow Louder
The fallout has reached Westminster. Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, Labour MP and chair of the Defence Committee, said he is now considering launching a formal investigation.
“The whole data breach situation is a mess and wholly unacceptable,” he told the Commons.
With mounting questions over the cost, the secrecy, and the apparent contradictions in government messaging, pressure is building fast for full transparency—and accountability.