PARIS — A French court on Thursday upheld preliminary criminal charges against one of France’s biggest companies over allegations that it financed the Islamic State and other armed groups in Syria, while putting the lives of its employees there in danger.

In its ruling, the Court of Appeal in Paris also said the company, the multinational cement maker Lafarge, had violated international embargoes as it sought to maintain business in Syria despite a civil war.

But the court rejected a separate, more serious charge that the company was complicit in crimes against humanity after former employees accused Lafarge of abetting terrorist groups operating in the region by funneling financing to them.

The ruling paves the way for a possible future trial over the other charges, which are part of an investigation by the French authorities and were brought last year against Lafarge as well as six former executives, including its former chief executive Bruno Lafont .