Iraq’s military imposed a curfew across Baghdad after the protesters breached the secured area, which is home to the parliament and other government buildings.
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An interior ministry source said that at least 58 people were wounded by the live bullets and tear gas.
The mostly Shia Muslim demonstrators rallied against government corruption, security failures and delays in implementing reform for the second time since April 30 when supporters of Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, known as Sadrists, invaded the Iraqi parliament.
But Saad al-Hadithi, spokesman for Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, said an initial investigation showed there had been only two deaths and no direct gunfire.
“We were holding roses and flags”, said Haider Hashm, 40, sitting on the curb of a bridge to the Green Zone and struggling to speak because of the effects of tear gas. Meanwhile, Sadr said Friday the protests would continue, or else “the revolution will take another form”. He said Iraq is now at a critical juncture in its fight against extremist groups, adding that chaos in the capital will do no good to the country or the people.
Gen. Yahya Rasool. Iraqi security forces repeated calls for civilians trapped inside Fallujah to flee on Sunday, but the city has been under tight IS control for more than two years and residents say that checkpoints controlled by the extremists along all roads leading out of the city are preventing most from fleeing. Al-Abadi later replaced the head of the compound security.
Protesters managed to hold the gate for some time despite repeatedly being tear gassed, but security forces eventually sallied out, firing automatic weapons into the air and unleashing more tear gas. He backed the demonstrators and issued a statement cursing the government.
Abadi had subsequently sacked the security chief for the Green Zone and beefed up measures around the restricted area.
Since the Green Zone was overrun last month, parliament has been unable to convene.
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Sadr supporters have also been angered by a deadly series of bombings in Baghdad, with protesters at the site of one attack blaming the government for carrying it out despite it having been claimed by IS.
