Some 30 Malian political parties on Wednesday demanded a ceasefire and talks between the army and Tuareg rebels waging an offensive which has sent thousands fleeing to neighbouring countries.

Aminata Sidibe, a presidential candidate in April elections, said the parties met for four hours on Tuesday for a plan of action which must be submitted to President Amadou Toumani Toure by the end of the week.

"We called for dialogue and a ceasefire between military forces" and for everything to be done so that the displaced and refugees can return, said Sidibe, of the Alliance for Environmental Education and Sustainable Development.

The parties are part of the presidential majority in parliament.

The ceasefire call comes as both the army and Tuareg fighters claimed Wednesday to be in control of the town of Tinzawaten on the border with Algeria, as the rebel push to seize northern towns continued.

Witnesses reported army helicopters flying over the area including Tinzawaten and Kidal further south.

The Azawad National Liberation Movement (MNLA) and other Tuareg rebels -- boosted by the recent return of men who fought in Libya for toppled leader Moamer Kadhafi -- are demanding greater autonomy for their nomadic desert tribe.

Both the army and rebels are believed to have suffered severe losses during the fighting, but death tolls are hard to verify independently in the vast desert zone.

The UN refugee agency said Tuesday it has sent emergency teams to countries surrounding Mali to help them deal with an influx of more than 20,000 people who have fled fighting there.