Colombia, FARC Rebel Group Announce Major Breakthrough in Peace Talks

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and the commander of the leftist FARC rebels brokered a peace deal after 51 years of conflict on Wednesday, NBC News reported.

The two men shook hands in a ceremony in Havana, where talks have been taking place for the last three years.

Rebels of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) have fought the Colombian government for 51 years in a conflict - Latin America’s longest war - that has killed some 220,000 and displaced millions.

"This will not be an easy task because there are still some difficult points to agree. But it is an instruction that we have given to our delegations, that we reach an agreement as soon as possible," Santos said. "We won't fail. The time for peace has arrived."

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry praised the development and called Santos to congratulate him and his team.

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