Four years after the fall of Kabul to Taliban forces, the humanitarian crisis facing Afghanistan is no longer a breaking news headline. Still, for millions, it remains a daily reality shaped by oppression, displacement and the erosion of trust.
The fall of Kabul was not merely a political turning point; it marked the return of a humanitarian crisis. As of June 2024, the number of forcibly displaced Afghans has surged to 9.9 million, reflecting a dramatic escalation since the Taliban returned to power in 2021 (Migration Observatory, 2024). As the crisis perpetuates, to which immigration and asylum-seeking provide relief, Afghans in exile continue to struggle for legal recognition, protection, and dignity. The demand for humanitarian support and aid has never wavered.
The idea of trust between governments and the people they claim to protect has, conversely, never felt more fragile. For Afghans who supported international missions, advocated for democratic institutions, or simply hoped for a better future, the abrupt withdrawal in 2021 left more than a power vacuum. It left a vacuum of trust.
Recent revelations surrounding the UK Ministry of Defence’s data breach have further called into question governmental accountability of institutions with a history of combat and aid in Afghanistan. The data breach dates back to February 2022, when the data of Afghan interpreters, civil servants, journalists, human rights defenders and more, who worked alongside the British government or organisations such as UKaid, was leaked. This leak was realized only one year later.
Knowledge about the leak was concealed by a court-issued injunction as to not further jeopardize those affected. It was only disclosed last month when the public was made aware of the Afghan Relocation Route (ARR), a program launched a year after and in response to the initial breach and closed this past July 5, 2025.
The true crisis of this data breach is threefold. It marks a systematic failure of data security protections, underscores an ongoing threat to those allies remaining in Afghanistan and, least easily repaired, prompts a rupture of the trust of the Afghan diaspora in the British government.
The erosion of trust extends beyond the MoD data breach to the discreet closure of two key resettlement programs, which have intensified hardships for those in desperate need of security, protection and aid.
The Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (ARAP), launched in April 2021 in response to the changing security situation in Afghanistan, just months before government extraction, quietly closed on July 1, 2025. Its sister, the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS), a referral-based relocation route for those ineligible for ARAP, also closed simultaneously. While over 12,800 people have been successfully resettled under ACRS since 2021, the number falls visibly short of the preliminary commitment to 20,000 successful relocations. No accessible pathway has been opened for new relocation applications since.
The challenges only expand with immigration bureaucratic opacity, which is often amplified by digital deadlocks. A pressing example can be found in the necessity of a valid, personal identity document to access any eVisa issued under previous schemes such as ARAP and ACRS. Since the Taliban’s return to power, however, renewing Afghan passports has become nearly impossible, particularly in the absence of a functioning local embassy. After an already lengthy application process, the likelihood of expiration only increases, leaving individuals unable to access their immigration status or move forward with essential services.
For some, this vulnerability becomes another form of displacement, but within the very country meant to offer them refuge. This bureaucratic limbo is not only inconvenient; it further distances those in need from those in power.
This is the reality we witness at the ACAA, and at this profound anniversary, we are responding.
To address the breakdown of trust at this critical juncture, we are hosting a two-day conference and roundtable titled “Four Years Since the Fall of Kabul: Arts, Culture & Humanitarianism”. At its core, the event will assess effective international policy responses, including access to education, refugee protection, and gender-specific humanitarian aid through a rights-driven analysis of the current obstacles Afghans face in search of security and stability. This approach aims to reframe humanitarian assistance not as a favour, but as an obligation grounded in international law, dignity, and equality. Against this backdrop, the event will serve as a space to confront the gaps in resettlement pathways lacking transparency and accessibility, and the ongoing vulnerability of Afghans who risked their lives in partnership with the UK.
The conference is an opportunity to bring those committed to resolving the crisis in Afghanistan in one room and evaluate the structures of trust and legal pathways. Rather than closing pathways to protection, especially in light of the data breach, we urge the UK Government to provide the safe routes necessary for those facing persecution, political harassment and in hiding. These structures have existed and functioned, but they must be reimplemented and improved. The challenges are stacked, and as this deepening humanitarian crisis faces prejudice and global neglect, we must meet the demand for coordinated and meticulous action now. In this time of reflection, we hope this conference will be only the start of a diligent, intentional and coordinated effort.
Our calls for policy action are as follows:
- Urgently reopen and improve ARAP and ACRS pathways to ensure protection for those still at risk.
- Establish permanent and accessible support systems for Afghans affected by the MoD Afghan data breach.
- Commit to transparency in programme closures and application processes.
Implementing these recommendations will not only mitigate the current threats but also contribute to building long-term safeguards for human rights, dignity, and security. This requires coordinated and sustained action from governments, international organisations, and civil society to ensure that commitments translate into real protection for those at risk. This is a pivotal moment for the UK to restore confidence and uphold its obligations. In the face of a worsening crisis, closing doors is not an option.
Written by: Ashley MITRA
Photo credit: David Sladek
Migration Observatory. (2024) Afghan asylum seekers and refugees in the UK. Oxford: University of Oxford. https://migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/resources/briefings/afghan-asylum-seekers-and-refugees-in-the-uk/