Only a tiny percentage of Afghans on the leaked Ministry of Defence (MOD) “kill list” had any legitimate claim to resettle in the United Kingdom, according to MOD sources cited by The Daily Telegraph. The leak, which reportedly reached the Taliban, included names of Afghan collaborators, British soldiers, and intelligence agents, sparking one of the most serious security breaches in recent UK history.
As many as 100,000 individuals, including families, appeared on the list — yet insiders now say as few as one in fifteen had valid grounds to be brought to Britain. Most applicants, according to sources involved in the secret airlift program, had already been rejected. The leak is now being weaponized by human rights and immigration lawyers seeking to secure UK entry or cash payouts for nearly the entire list.
Sources allege many on the list had no ties to UK operations in Afghanistan and were “playing the system” by applying for asylum in multiple Western countries. The Telegraph’s reporting suggests this was less a list of vetted allies and more a list of opportunists hoping to exploit Western resettlement programs.
Despite the leak, over 35,000 Afghans have been brought to the UK under resettlement schemes, with another 5,400 expected soon. Since 2018, an additional 27,285 Afghans have entered illegally by small boat. In total, nearly 68,000 Afghans have arrived in recent years — many without legal basis to remain.
Now, immigration law firms are arguing that the leak exposes those on the list to Taliban retaliation, invoking the European Court of Human Rights to demand their resettlement or compensation. This could potentially open the door to thousands more claimants, all tied to a single government mistake.
While some details have emerged in Parliament, British media remain gagged under secrecy orders. Former Defence Minister Grant Shapps defended the controversial superinjunction, claiming the secrecy was essential, comparing the situation to protecting the nation’s nuclear codes.
