Police in Tanzania are investigating five men caught in a viral video allegedly gang-raping a young woman, sparking an uproar in the East African state.

The security forces are yet to comment on allegations that the suspects are believed to be soldiers.

Police said their investigations were "progressing well", but did not confirm reports that arrests had been made.

They denied that the young woman had died after the ordeal, describing the claims as "falsehoods".

"This young lady is very safe," police said in a statement posted on X.

In a separate post, the police warned the public against sharing the video online "to avoid torturing the victim and her family".

The video of the alleged gang-rape began circulating online on Sunday. It triggered shockwaves as Tanzania is a highly conservative society.

The country is struggling to deal with a surge in gender-based violence, with some cases going unreported, according to local media.

It is unclear when the video was filmed but the victim was reportedly a resident of Yombo Dovya, a suburb in the commercial city of Dar es Salaam.

Police have urged people to remain calm, while investigations continue, adding: "Detailed information about the incident will be issued once we have completed the legal procedures.”

Human rights groups and social media users are calling on the authorities to act quickly and decisively.

The Legal and Human Rights Centre warned that "ignoring these issues will only lead to their increased occurrence in our society".

Lawyers from Tanganyika Law Society condemned what it called a "gross violation of both the country's laws and societal norms".

Home Affairs Minister Hamad Masauni was quoted as saying that the suspects were "already" under arrest, but did not provide more details.