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WikiLeaks put its own interests above those on the front lines in Afghanistan, the Secretary of Defense said on Sunday.

And it will likely cost lives.

Robert Gates told Christiane Amanpour on ABC’s “This Week” that he was “mortified” by the release of 92,000 documents by the whistleblower website.

“I’m not sure anger is the right word. I just — I think mortified, appalled,” the Defense Secretary said. “And if I’m angry, it is because I believe that this information puts those in Afghanistan who have helped us at risk.” Gates’ disgust comes amid reports that the Taliban are targeting Afghanis whose names appear in the documents as having helped American forces.

“You know, growing up in the intelligence business, protecting your sources is sacrosanct,” Gates said.

When asked if he thought WikiLeaks had “blood on their hands” for releasing the documents, the Defense Secretary replied, “Given the Taliban’s statement… it basically proves the point.”

Gates accused the whistleblower site, founded by Julian Assange, of being morally irresponsible for the leak, if not legally culpable.

“That’s up to the Justice Department and others,” he said. “That’s not my arena. But there’s also a moral culpability. And that’s where I think the verdict is guilty on WikiLeaks.”

Assange told Channel 4 news in England that his group withheld 15,000 documents in an effort to protect sensitive information, and also doubted that anyone would actually be harmed because of WikiLeaks’ actions.

“I think it’s unlikely that this will happen,” he said last week. “We’ve worked hard to make sure there’s not a significant chance of anybody coming to harm.”

If the leaks do cause Afghan deaths, Assange says WikiLeaks will be forced to re-examine their decision.

“If we had, in fact, made that mistake, then, of course, that would be something that we would take very seriously,” he told “Today.”

A “spokesman” for the Taliban, Zabihullah Mujahid, told Channel 4 that the group is studying the documents and claims it will “punish” any spies it uncovers.

The White House has slammed Assange and WikiLeaks for the posting of the documents, which is says it will investigate.

msheridan[at]nydailynews.com; or follow him at Twitter.com/NYDNSheridan