SUMMARY
Groupe de Sécurité (Nyatura Kasongo) or FDDH (Forces for the Defense of Human Rights, Forces de défense des droits humains) was an armed group active in the Masisi territory, Nord Kivu Province of DR Congo (Zaire). Groupe de Sécurité (Nyatura Kasongo) was formed as FDDH around 2011 as a group dominated by members from the Hutu community. The FDDH was one of the main factions of the Nyatura and is seen as part of this group until the end of the war against M23 in November 2013.
Groupe de Sécurité (Nyatura Kasongo) was formed to protect the Hutu population in DR Congo from attacks by other armed groups, including M23. As with the other Hutu-Nyatura groups Groupe de Sécurité was also supporting the Hutu community in wider issues of land conflict and local political power against primarily the Hunde community. After the defeat of M23 Groupe de Sécurité became more involved in the conflict between the FDLR and the CNRD.
Groupe de Sécurité has primarily been active in Bashali-Mokoto chiefdom in the Masisi territory, particularly along the Kitchanga-Mweso-Kashuga road. The group's headquarters was reportedly in Kashuga (Kaswuga), 8 km from Kalembe.
Groupe de Sécurité mainly recruited among the local Hutu population but also attracted other smaller Nyatura factions such as Ngwiti Bahati, “Noheri”, Kavumbi who merged their forces with Kasongo’s. In 2017, the group consisted of approximately 100 to 200 combatants.
FDDH was allied to the FDLR. When FDDH was part of Nyatura in 2013 the group was part of an anti-Kabila, anti-M23 alliance called the APBC (Alliance des Patriotes contre la Balkanisation du Congo) joining the forces of APCLS, FDC, MAC (Mouvement d’action pour le changement) and FAC (Forces Acquises au Changement or Forces armées congolaises). In 2015 FDDH splintered between FDDH/Tuombe and FDDH/Mugwete. In 2016 the group reportedly allied with the new main Nyatura alliance CMC. In March 2017, Kasongo terminated a short-lived alliance with CNRD over a row regarding taxation leading to a conflict with the group.
Groupe de Sécurité was led by Colonel Kasongo Kalamo, another leader mentioned within the earlier years was FDDH coordinator Emmanuel Munyariba. Kasongo Kalamo was killed in December 2017 in an ambush by CNRD. Groupe de Sécurité continued to exist after Kasongo’s death but became a small force and Sibomana Kavumbi’s Nyatura became the largest in Groupe de Sécurité. Sibomana Kavumbi surrendered to the Congolese army FARDC on 2 April 2019 in Kirumbu, Masisi territory.
