Apr 14, 2018

A former human resources manager of cement giant Lafarge has been charged in France for "endangering the lives of others" during operations in war-torn Syria, sources told AFP on Saturday.

Sonia Artinian, the group's HR director from September 2013 to July 2015, was not charged, however, with financing a terrorist organisation after being summoned last month by investigating judges in Paris.

The choice to cling on in Syria after other international firms fled the fighting has dragged Lafarge, a French company which merged with Swiss firm Holcim in 2015, into a spiral of scandal and recriminations that has embroiled the French state.

Judges are investigating allegations Lafarge funnelled some 13 million euros ($16 million) to armed fighters including IS group jihadists to keep the factory working.

Following interviews, Artinian was indicted for "deliberately endangering the lives of others", but granted "assisted witness" status on the terrorism financing charge.