Washington

The US House of Representatives passed a bill to ban assault weapons with a narrow 217-213 vote.

This was the first vote of its kind in 18 years amid increase in gun violence across the country.

The legislation passed on Friday night would prohibit the sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession of semi-automatic assault weapons and large-capacity ammunition feeding devices.

It will, however, allow the possession of any semi-automatic assault weapon lawfully possessed on the date of enactment and the sale or transfer of any semi-automatic assault weapon lawfully possessed on the date of enactment following a background check, among other things.

"There are more guns than people in this country -- more mass shootings than days in the year," Congressman David Cicilline, a major sponsor of the bill, said in a statement. "This is a uniquely American problem."

President Joe Biden hailed the House vote, saying: "The majority of the American people agree with this common-sense action."

He urged the Senate to "move quickly to get this bill to my desk".

However, the bill has little chance of progressing in the Senate due to clear opposition from the Republicans.

Of all mass shooting incidents between 2009 and 2018, assault weapons accounted for 25 per cent of deaths and 76 per cent of non-fatal injuries in the country.

Currently, only seven states and Washington, D.C. have banned assault weapons.

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Gun violence has claimed more than 25,500 lives across the US so far this year, according to the latest data from Gun Violence Archive.