The Latest: Tight security ahead of Colombia peace ceremony

People enjoy a concert for peace in Carmen de Bolivar, Colombia, Sunday, Sept. 25, 2016. Colombia’s government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, FARC, will sign a peace agreement to end over 50 years of conflict, in Cartagena, on Monday. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)

(AP) — 9:15 a.m.

There’s tight security and a festive mood in the air in the Colombian city of Cartagena as leftist guerrillas and the government are set to sign a historic peace deal.

More than 2,700 troops have been deployed to guarantee the security of 15 Latin American heads of state at Monday’s ceremony.

U.N. Secretary-General ban Ki-moon and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry are also scheduled to witness the signing in the Caribbean city.

The peace accord is the product of four years of tough negotiations in Havana between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.

The South American nation’s five-decade conflict, partly fueled by the cocaine trade, has killed more than 220,000 people and driven 8 million from their homes.

Categories: News, US & World News, World News

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