French cement firm Lafarge admits paying Isis £15 million to keep factory open

A Lafarge facility in the desert near Raqqa in Syria (John Wreford/Alamy/PA)

French cement company Lafarge has pleaded guilty to paying 17 million US dollars (£15 million) to the so-called Islamic State group so a factory in Syria could remain open.

The charges were announced in a New York City federal court.