A high-profile trial has begun in France against Lafarge, one of the world’s largest cement makers, over accusations that it paid jihadist groups in Syria to keep its factory running during the civil war. The groups allegedly include the Islamic State group (IS) and Jabhat al-Nusra. The trial opened in Paris on Tuesday and is expected to run until mid-December.
Lafarge had already faced a similar case in the United States, where it admitted to providing material support to foreign terrorist groups and paid a $778 million fine — the first case of its kind involving a company.
In France, the company and several former senior officials, including former CEO Bruno Lafont, five ex-staff members, and two Syrian intermediaries, are charged with “funding terrorism” and violating international sanctions. One intermediary is wanted under an international arrest warrant and is unlikely to attend. If convicted, Lafarge could face a fine of up to $1.2 million, along with further penalties for sanctions breaches. The Swiss firm Holcim, which acquired Lafarge in 2015, states that it was unaware of the Syria dealings at the time.
How Lafarge Operated in Syria During the War
Lafarge built a large cement factory in Jalabiya in northern Syria in 2010 at a cost of about $680 million. Soon after the plant began operating, the civil war broke out in 2011. By 2013, IS had become active in northern Syria and started taking control of several areas. In 2014, IS seized large parts of Syria and Iraq and declared a “caliphate”, with extreme laws and brutal punishments.
Most international companies pulled out of Syria in 2012 for safety reasons, but Lafarge chose to keep its business running. The company evacuated its foreign employees but kept hundreds of Syrian workers at the factory. The plant continued to operate until September 2014, when IS fighters took control of the site.
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French and US investigators say that between 2013 and 2014, Lafarge Cement Syria (LCS), the local branch of Lafarge, paid millions of dollars to various armed groups through intermediaries in order to maintain access to the plant, secure the movement of trucks, and continue production. Some of the payments allegedly went to IS and Jabhat al-Nusra.
The US Justice Department stated that Lafarge even sought IS support to push out rival companies and protect its own profits, describing the arrangement as a “revenue sharing agreement”.
Who Is on Trial and What Sparked the Case?
Former CEO Bruno Lafont, along with five former staff members involved in operations and security, is accused of knowing about or approving the payments in Syria. Two Syrian intermediaries are also being tried, although one is expected to be absent due to an international arrest warrant.
The French case began in 2017 after media reports and two legal complaints were filed in 2016. One complaint came from the French finance ministry concerning breaches of economic sanctions, and another was filed by non-governmental groups and 11 former Syrian employees for “funding terrorism”. These workers said they were placed in danger while the company continued to operate despite the growing threat of violent groups in the region.
A separate investigation is still ongoing in France to determine whether Lafarge may also be linked to “complicity in crimes against humanity”. This is not part of the current trial. In the United States, around 430 American citizens of Yazidi origin and Nobel laureate Nadia Murad have filed a civil lawsuit accusing the company of supporting violent attacks by IS through its financial arrangements.
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War in Syria and the Road to the Lafarge Trial
The Syrian conflict destroyed cities, displaced millions of people, and allowed extremist groups like IS to grow. IS gained control of large territories and ruled them with violence, fear, and strict interpretations of law. During this time, Lafarge continued running the Jalabiya factory, with Syrian workers remaining on site to maintain production. The factory finally shut down when IS took control in September 2014.
Kurdish-led Syrian forces, supported by a US-led coalition, eventually defeated IS and ended its control of territory in 2019. Even after the fall of IS, the controversy surrounding Lafarge’s actions did not fade. Questions have remained about whether a major global company helped IS strengthen itself by providing money in exchange for business protection. The ongoing trial in Paris is now examining what decisions were taken and who was responsible for authorising them.