Syria’s government forces have declared victory in a hard-fought battle against antigovernment rebels in Damascus.

Syria’s foreign minister said during a visit to Iran that antigovernment rebels were defeated by President Bashar al-Assad's forces in less than a week in the Syrian capital. He added that antigovernment rebels would be beaten in Syria’s second largest city Aleppo.

Government forces are known to be indiscriminately pounding antigovernment rebels in Aleppo and have retaken Salahhedine, a region southwest of Aleppo, which was once dominated by rebel forces.

With the bloody conflict between government and rebel forces continuing in Syria, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said the fall of Assad’s regime is only a matter of time. Meanwhile, three Chinese warships have crossed through the Suez Canal and are heading to the Syrian coast. China is Syria's ally.