Egyptian official warns of state's collapse as protesters defy curfew order NEW: U.N. office: Early reports suggest most casualties were caused by authorities The defense minister denies claims that the army used live ammunition on protesters Clashes break out between dissidents and forces in cities along the Suez Canal Protesters ignore Morsy's curfew order, part of a limited state of emergency Send us you photos, videos, but please stay safe. (CNN) -- The raucous political turmoil dividing Egypt could spell the demise of a country that just recently celebrated hopes of a democratic future, the defense minister said. "The ongoing conflict among the various political forces ... may lead to the collapse of the state and threaten the future of our coming generations," Defense Minister Gen. Abdul Fattah al-Sisi said Tuesday. Anti-government protesters ignored Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy's curfew order in cities along the Suez Canal and clashed with police and troops, state-run media reported Tuesday. CNN iReport: Inhaling teargas, breaking the curfew It's the latest in the seesaw struggle between Egypt's first democratically elected president and dissidents who say his tenure is a throwback to the loathsome days of dictatorship. The most recent furor stems from Morsy's declaration of a limited state of emergency for violent hot spots. On Sunday, he announced a 30-day nighttime curfew for the provinces of Port Said, Suez and Ismailia. Those areas have seen a spate of bloodshed in recent days, starting with the second anniversary of the Egyptian revolution on Friday. Dissidents angry about the slow pace of change fought with Morsy supporters and police. At least seven people were killed in those clashes. The tumult intensified a day later, when a judge issued death sentences for 21 Port Said residents for their roles in a deadly football riot last year. Port Said, which has had a difficult relationship with Cairo over the past six decades, erupted in chaos. At least 38 people were killed in the two days following the verdicts. The scores of deaths prompted Navi Pillay, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights, to denounce the violence and call for dialogue among all parties. "While at least two policemen are among those killed, preliminary unconfirmed reports suggest that most of the casualties have been caused by live fire and excessive use of tear gas by the authorities," a statement from Pillay's office said. In addition, about 25 female protesters reportedly have been sexually assaulted in Cairo's Tahrir Square over the past few days, "in some cases with extraordinary violence," the statement said. Egypt's defense minister, however, has denied reports that the army used live ammunition on protesters, state-run media reported. A new round of rebellion Twenty minutes after the 9 p.m. Monday curfew began, protesters amassed and chanted, "With our souls, with our blood, we will sacrifice for you, Port Said," state-run television reported. Egyptian troops beat back an attempt by a half-dozen gunmen to storm a prison in Port Said, according to EgyNews. West of Port Said, in the coastal city of Alexandria, protesters sat on train tracks, disrupting rail travel. Anti-government protests also sprouted up in Cairo, and demonstrators in Suez fought with security forces, state-run Nile TV reported. State of emergency to turbulence To this end, he invited representatives from 11 political parties to a meeting. Protests could drag on The National Salvation Front held the president responsible "for the excessive violence used by security forces against protesters" and called for peaceful demonstrations, according to a statement posted on the state-run Al-Ahram news website. Morsy's supporters warned the opposition against such demands. CNN's Amir Ahmed and Salma Abdelaziz contributed to this report.