Xinhua Asia Pacific news summary at 1600 GMT, Jan. 31

PHNOM PENH -- Three Cambodian forest protectors had been gunned down in the Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary in northeastern Mondulkiri province after they seized chainsaws from illegal loggers, officials confirmed Wednesday.

Keo Sopheak, director of the Environment Department in Mondulkiri province, said a park ranger, a military police officer and a Wildlife Conservation Society employee were attacked late Tuesday afternoon when they patrolled the protected forest.

"They were shot dead when they were returning from their patrol with the chainsaws confiscated from illegal loggers," he told Xinhua, adding that the authorities suspected Cambodian border officials, who collaborated with the illegal loggers, were responsible for the killings. (Cambodia-Forest Protectors)

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BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN -- Brunei's Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah appointed new military commander on Wednesday afternoon, following the sudden reshuffle of his government a day ago.

The Sultan, who is also Brunei's Minister of Defense and Supreme Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF), appointed Pahlawan Aminan as the 10th Commander of RBAF in a ceremony held at the royal palace, Istana Nurul Iman. (Brunei-Cabinet reshuffle)

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WELLINGTON -- Tangaroa, the flagship research vessel of New Zealand's National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), will leave port on Feb. 8 as part of its 12th Antarctic voyage to travel about 7,800 km on a six-week voyage, NIWA said in a statement on Wednesday.

It will take about seven days to reach the Ross Sea shelf break east of Cape Adare, about 3,400 km south of Wellington, for the first large-scale experiment of the voyage, it said.

Voyage leader and NIWA marine ecologist David Bowden said that the science research program involves several disciplines and fitting in all the work that needs to be done will require both careful planning and luck. (New Zealand-Research-Vessel)

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JAKARTA -- Jakarta metropolitan police has arrested seven people who allegedly sold protected species from Indonesian forest.

Jakarta police spokesman Senior Commissioner Argo Yuwono disclosed on Wednesday that the suspects sold 11 types of animals which are on the brink of extinction through Facebook and WhatsApp. (Indonesia-Arrest-Protected Species)

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WELLINGTON -- A number of drug supply chains were disrupted last year, with New Zealand Customs and New Zealand Police making a large number of drug seizures throughout 2017, according to a customs statement released on Wednesday.

Detective Superintendent Greg Williams said that holding drug dealers and organized crime groups to account is a priority for the police. (New Zealand-Drug-Fighting) Enditem