France: Lafarge Syria Pays Armed Groups $100,000 a Month to Keep Factories Running

   Lafarge Syria pays $100,000 a month to Syrian armed groups to keep the plant running, including $20,000 to the IS terrorist group. Bruno Pescheux, the former director of the plant, told investigators that the money was paid through local businessman Firas Tlass, a former minority shareholder in the cement plant, according to AFP. Witnesses in the French judicial investigation also described how the factory concealed the money by falsely purchasing oil from IS, and that the militants would issue permits for Lafarge trucks to move freely in the area after receiving the money. Lafarge Cement is also scheduled to meet with Syrian security officials and IS. More specific investigations are still under way.