With Colombia's government and the country's biggest rebel movement announcing an agreement on a historic peace deal, The Associated Press explains how the conflict began and developed over the decades. The FARC lost popularity as it turned to kidnapping, extortion and taxes on cocaine production and illegal gold mining to fund its insurgency. In 2000, the United States began sending billions of dollars to counter drug-trafficking and the insurgency under Plan Colombia, which helped security forces weaken the FARC and kill several top commanders. Agreement previously had been reached on land reform, combatting drug trafficking, the guerrillas' political participation and punishing war crimes on both sides. In late June, negotiators announced a cease-fire agreement and a blueprint for how an estimated 7,000 FARC fighters will demobilize and lay down their weapons once the peace accord is implemented.