On February 3, 2008, during a battle between government forces and rebels in N'Djamena, Saleh was arrested by unidentified military personnel, 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.