KHARTOUM – In Sudan’s capital, young militiamen, some no older than 15, ride around in pickup trucks mounted with missiles: a familiar sight to civilians who remember how the current war began.

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.