New Zealand bans semi-automatic weapons, assault rifles

WELLINGTON, March 21 (Xinhua) -- Military style semi-automatic weapons (MSSA) and assault rifles are to be banned in news.cn/en/tag/i0xngaj3163f76200c981b/index.html" target="_blank">new Zealand, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced on Thursday.

news.cn/en/tag/i0xngaj3163f76200c981b/index.html" target="_blank">new Zealand government has also moved to ban a number of accessories which can take lower capacity semi-automatic fire arms to weapons of greater killing might.

Related parts used to convert those guns into MSSAs are also being banned, along with all high-capacity magazines.

Ardern would not rule out a gun register system in the longer-term tranche of changes into gun laws.

The ban started 3:00 p.m. local time on Thursday, said Ardern, who is confident that the vast majority of news.cn/en/tag/i0xngaj3163f76200c981b/index.html" target="_blank">new Zealanders will support the changes.

Opposition National Party has endorsed the ban on MSSAs. Leader Simon Bridges agrees that the public doesn't need access to military style semi-automatic weapons.

The total number of firearms in news.cn/en/tag/i0xngaj3163f76200c981b/index.html" target="_blank">new Zealand is estimated to range between 1.2 million and 1.5 million.

It is understood that an amnesty period will apply and a buy-back scheme will be detailed soon.

The ban came after attacks in Christchurch last Friday which killed 50 people.