The UN says the number of Malian
refugees fleeing to neighbouring countries to escape fighting between Tuareg
rebels and the military has doubled over the past 10 days.
More than 44,000 thousand people have crossed into Mauritania, Niger and Burkina Faso.
Amnesty International described the fighting as the worst human rights crisis in northern Mali for 20 years.
The regional group Ecowas has condemned the Tuareg rebels for their offensive.
The Azawad National Liberation Movement (MNLA) took up arms last month following the return of many Tuareg fighters from Libya, where they had fought alongside Col Muammar Gaddafi's forces.
The BBC West Africa correspondent Thomas Fessy says the area
affected by the fighting is now relatively calm.
Both sides claim to control the north-eastern oasis town of Tessalit, near the border with Algeria.
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'Chaos' warning--
The UN's refugee agency, the UNHCR, said about 18,000 Malian refugees had arrived in Mauritania, a similar number in Niger and more than 8,000 had gone to Burkina Faso.
"As the influx continues, our teams are stepping up assistance for refugees who have taken refuge in makeshift shelters in villages bordering Mali," UNHCR spokesperson Melissa Fleming was quoted as saying in a news release.
"Humanitarian assistance is all the more critical because the Sahel region is facing a severe food crisis due to several years of drought.
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