MOGADISHU (SD) – No militiamen meant to disrupt the upcoming election were amassed on the outskirts of Somali capital, information ministry said, dismissing reports of existence of pro-opposition self-organised militias.

This week, a viral video was showing what was said to be heavily armed militias loyal to Somalia’s opposition, displaying their might on the outskirts of Mogadishu.

The armed men were walking in fatigues alongside a seemingly endless procession of technical vehicles.

Unverified reports claimed that the men threatened to block the recently announced ‘unilateral’ election by the government to take place.

In a statement, Somali deputy Information Minister, Abdirahman Sheikh Yussuf Al-Adala said the video serviced on the social media was fabricated one.

” The men in the video were SNA soldiers manoeuvring in one of their bases and the video was recorded some years back,” he said.

The development comes amid speculations that the presidential candidates who opposed the government’s decision to hold elections warned negative consequences.