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in has increasedÌýfor the fourth time this year, the government has said, by approvingÌýincreases ranging from 3 and 14Ìýpercent.

The ministry of mines, energy and trade stated that the price of cooking gas cylinders will increase by 14 percent from 7.750 dinars ($2.42) to 8.800 dinars ($2.75), while will augment by 3 percent from 2.330 dinars ($0.73) to 2.400 dinars ($0.75) per litre.

The increase in prices took effect from midnight on Sunday 18 September, according to the ministry.

The series of began in early February this year, followed by an increase on the last day of the same month, followed by a third increase inÌýApril.

Since February, the increases approved by since taking power are estimated at 305 millimes, while the price of diesel rose by 255 millimes, reported °®Âþµºâ€™s Arabic-language sister site, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.ÌýOne thousand millimes make one Tunisian dinar.

The ministry explained the price hike: "This adjustment comes in the light of the continuous increase in fuel prices on the world market, due to the , and the disturbances in the energy markets linked to the reduction in supplies as well as the high cost of petroleum materials,"Ìýin a press release, according to the Turkish Anadolu agency.

The increase in fuel comes 48 hours after the Tunisian government signed an agreement with the powerful increasing the wages of government sector employees by 5 percent in instalments over the next three years.

The North African country also hopes to with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) by the end of October, reported Reuters.

The deal aims to bail out the country from its exacerbated by increased inflation, high public debt and unemployment, by facilitating the provision of foods and energy products, paying wages and debt service.

Tunisians have become progressively unable to afford essential goodsÌýsuch as bread and cooking oil, with grocery stores witnessing a shortage in goods as the country becomes increasingly unable to afford imported products.