Three years ago, a powerful militia that had come under the auspices of the state -- the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) -- turned against the army, sparking a conflict that has killed more than 200,000 people by some estimates.Now, with Sudan's army relying on a new coalition of militias to fight its battles, many fear it is repeating the same cycle."We've seen this scenario over and over. It's the same old mistakes, and it's only a matter of time before they turn on each other," said a 30-year-old Sudanese writer who, like others AFP spoke to, requested anonymity for security reasons.Of the dozens of armed groups in army-controlled territory, technically under army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, three are the most powerful: - The Joint Forces, a coalition of former Darfuri rebel militias - The Sudan Shield Forces, which defected from the RSF - And the Baraa ibn Malek Brigade, an Iran-linked Islamist forceAll have inflated their ranks since the war broke out in April 2023, and possess their own artillery, anti-aircraft missiles and killer drones.And all are "allies for now", wary civilians whispered to AFP in the army-controlled cities of Port Sudan, Khartoum and Wad Madani."The government's technically banned them from carrying weapons, but in the markets, on the streets, you still see them everywhere. It's frightening," said a 50-year-old father in Khartoum.