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Colombia’s FARC Reschedules Conference to Ratify Peace Deal

Colombia’s Marxist FARC rebel group said on Friday it had rescheduled its conference to ratify a peace agreement with the government to Sept. 17-23.

After almost four years of protracted talks in Havana, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia and the government agreed last week to end a five-decade-long war that has killed more than 220,000 and displaced millions.

The FARC’s so-called Tenth Conference, its final as an armed group, was rescheduled for Sept. 17-23 after it postponed the meeting originally set for Sept. 13-19.

The rebel leadership will explain the contents of the accords to hundreds of rebel commanders at the conference.

President Juan Manuel Santos and long-time foe Rodrigo Londoño, known by his nom de guerre Timochenko, will then sign the final peace accord on Sept. 26 in Cartagena.

Colombians will vote on whether they approve of the accords in a plebiscite on Oct. 2.