Egypt's Minister of Defense Abdel-Fattah El-Sissi has warned of "the collapse of the state" if the political crisis roiling the nation for nearly a week continues, AP reported today.

The warning by El-Sissi comes as the country sinks deeper into chaos and lawlessness. Attempts by the Islamist president to stem a wave of political violence appear to have made no headway.

Some 60 people have been killed in the unrest that began last Thursday.

El-Sissi's warning came in an address to military academy cadets on Tuesday. His comments were posted on the armed forces' official Facebook page.

"The continuation of the conflict between the different political forces and their differences over how the country should be run could lead to the collapse of the state and threaten future generations," he said.