Xinhua Asia-Pacific news summary at 1600 GMT, Feb. 11

SEOUL -- A high-ranking delegation of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) returned to its home country on Sunday night after making a three-day visit to South Korea from Friday, according to a pool report.

A private jet carrying the delegation left for the DPRK at about 10:24 p.m. local time (1324 GMT) from the Incheon International Airport on the outskirts of South Korea's capital Seoul. (S. Korea-DPRK-Ties)

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SEOUL -- South Korean Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon on Sunday hosted a lunch for the high-ranking delegation from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), including the younger sister of top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un.

According to the prime minister's office cited by local media outlets, Lee hosted the luncheon from noon at a hotel in eastern Seoul. (S. Korea-DPRK-Visit)

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TALUQAN, Afghanistan -- A Taliban key commander Mir Wali is among eight militants who were killed in Darqad district of Afghan northern Takhar province on Sunday, as cleanup operation continues in the restive district, police spokesman in the province, Abdul Khalil Asir said.

"The security forces in crackdown against Taliban rebels attacked several villages including Basir Khil, the stronghold of Taliban in Darqad district, and killed eight insurgents including Taliban notorious commander Mir Wali and his lieutenant Qari Sefat on Sunday morning," Asir told Xinhua. (Afghanistan-Taliban)

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DHAKA -- The Chinese embassy in Bangladesh along with two U.N. agencies, on Saturday distributed relief materials to flood victims of the country's Nilphamari district, some 360 km northwest of Dhaka.

Bangladeshi government officials, Chinese officials from the embassy, and United Nations representatives attended the distribution ceremony. (Bangladesh-Chinese New Year)

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BANGKOK -- Several bomb attacks rocked southern Thailand's Pattani Province on Sunday, injuring at least two, local media reported.

Two bombs went off Sunday morning near a school, injuring a 57-year-old woman and a district chief, the reports said. (Thailand-Blasts)

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TOKYO -- Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera on Sunday declined to comment on whether a fatal crash of a military helicopter in a residential area in Saga Prefecture would affect the planned deployment of the Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft to the prefecture in the country's southwest.

After visiting the local government office in Saga to apologize for the helicopter crash which killed both its crew members, triggering fears about the safety of the Self-Defense Force's (SDF) aircraft, Onodera sidestepped the issue of the planned deployment of the accident-prone Osprey to the prefecture. (Japan-Osprey)

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SUVA -- Fijian President Jioji Konrote on Sunday extended his best wishes for the Chinese Lunar New Year and thanked China for the continued support given to the South Pacific island state.

Addressing a Chinese Lunar New Year celebration organized by the Fijian Chinese community, Konrote said, "On behalf the government and people of Fiji, I extend to you our very best wishes for a happy and prosperous New Year." (Fiji-Chinese New Year)

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ISLAMABAD -- The Pakistani security forces nabbed 20 terrorists during various operations conducted in southwestern Balochistan province on Sunday, the military said.

A statement from the army's media wing Inter-Services Public Relations said that paramilitary frontier corps carried out intelligence-based operations in Buleda, Gish Kaur, Tratha and Pishin areas of the province. (Pakistan-Terrorists) Enditem