Xinhua Middle East news summary at 2200 GMT, Jan. 23

ANKARA -- A U.S. delegation including high-ranking officials arrived in Ankara on Monday to discuss bilateral issues and Turkey's military operation against U.S.-backed Kurdish militia in Syria, state-run Anadolu Agency reported Tuesday.

The U.S. delegation, led by Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Jonathan Cohen, will meet with Turkish officials from the foreign ministry on Tuesday. (Turkey-U.S.-Syria)

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CAIRO -- The Egyptian election authority announced on Tuesday excluding the name of former army chief of staff Sami Anan, who seeks to join the 2018 presidential race, from the eligible voters database, the Egyptian state TV reported.

The National Election Authority (NEA) said that his inclusion in the voters database violates the law. (Egypt-Presidential-Election)

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TEHRAN -- Iran's second day of military drills continues Tuesday with testing of radar and surveillance systems to detect ground and aerial activities by the mock enemy, the spokesperson for the maneuvers said.

The exercise will continue using missiles and artillery fire to eliminate the assumed threats, spokesperson Rear Admiral Lower Half Mahmoud Mousavi told Press TV on Tuesday. (Iran-Military Drills)

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TRIPOLI -- Two car bombs exploded in Salmani district of the eastern Libyan city Benghazi on Tuesday, killing and injuring several people, according to the Libyan news agency.

The first car bomb exploded in front of a mosque, as worshipers exited the mosque after the night prayer, the agency reported. (Libya-Car Bomb) Enditem