Colombia’s Government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrilla force have agreed on a definitive ceasefire, taking one of the last steps towards ending Latin America’s longest civil war.
The announcement heralds an end to a half-century conflict that has killed hundreds of thousands of people in the jungles of the major cocaine-producing country.
“We have successfully reached an agreement for a definitive bilateral ceasefire and end to hostilities,” the two sides said in a joint statement.
FARC commander Carlos Lozada tweeted: “On Thursday, June 23, we will announce the last day of the war.”
The deal resolves one of the final points in peace talks between the Government and FARC, the country’s biggest rebel group.