Ibni Oumar Mahamat Saleh - Arrest and Disappearance

Arrest and Disappearance

On February 3, 2008, during a battle between government forces and rebels in N'Djamena, Saleh was arrested unidentified militaries, presumably presidential guards, according to the PLD. More than a week later, no information had been released about the arrest or about where Saleh was being held. One of Saleh's cousins expressed particular concern on the grounds that Saleh had been very ill for some time, hoping that medicine, food and clothing could be brought to him wherever he was being held. On February 27, with still no information available about Saleh's whereabouts or condition, his wife met with Carla Bruni, the visiting French President's wife Nicolas Sarkozy. President Sarkozy asked his counterpart Idriss Déby to meet with her as well, but on February 28 she eventually refused to meet with Déby.

Fellow opposition leader Ngarlejy Yorongar, who had been arrested the same day than Saleh, said on March 6, 2008 that he believed Saleh had probably died as a result of his treatment in captivity. According to Yorongar, Saleh was severely beaten and it would, in Yorongar's opinion, be miraculous if he had survived such treatment. He urged the French to work to have the truth of the situation disclosed. A cousin of Saleh said at this time that his family had still not received any information and that they were very worried.