Colombia and Farc rebels reach historic peace agreement

The Colombian government and the Farc rebel group have reached a historic peace accord, putting an end to more than five decades of conflict. They are expected to make an announcement shortly in the Cuban capital, Havana, where they have been negotiating since November 2012. The two sides had signed a bilateral ceasefire in June, paving the way for a final agreement. The conflict has killed an estimated 220,000 people and displaced millions. Under the terms of the agreement, the Farc will give up its armed struggle and join the legal political process. "There is no room for winners or losers when you achieve peace through negotiations," tweeted Farc negotiator Rodrigo Granda, known as Ricardo Tellez. "Colombia wins, death loses." Earlier on Wednesday, Farc's leader Timoleon Jimenez, known as Timochenko, had tweeted that "at 18:00 in Colombia (24:00 BST) we will announce the end of the talks and the conclusion of the [peace] accord". "From Havana, I want to share with the Colombian people my satisfaction of having reached this point," he said. Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos had also promised to give "historic, very important news to the country" later on Wednesday. The left-wing rebels have been fighting Colombian government since 1964. It is the longest-running conflict in Latin America. Women in Bogota hug as they celebrate the signing of a historic ceasefire deal between the Colombian government and FARC rebels, 23 June 2016. Over the past four years, peace negotiators have managed to reach agreement on six areas: land reform, the Farc's involvement in drug trafficking, justice for the victims, disarmament, future political participation and implementation of the accord. Mr Santos will now need Congressional approval to hold a popular vote to endorse the terms of the deal. A vote is expected to take place in October. Former President Alvaro Uribe is leading the campaign to get the agreement rejected.