Taliban say they're ready for second round of talks with US

In this file image taken from a video recording, Omar Khalid Khorasani (C), a top Pakistan Taliban commander, gives an interview in Pakistan's Mohmand tribal region on June 2, 2011. General Asim Bajwa, director general of the Pakistani army's media division, reported the death of Umar Narai, also known as Khalifa Umar Mansoor or Khalid Khurasani, in a message on Twitter on July 13, 2016. REUTERS/Handout/File Photo

The Taliban say they are ready for another round of talks with the US, which is likely to focus on prisoner exchange, confidence building measures, and ways to move from back-door meetings to formal negotiations.

In separate interviews in recent days, Taliban officials, who asked to stay anonymous because they are not authorized to speak to the media, recounted details of a meeting held in July with Alice Wells, Washington's top envoy to the region.

One of the officials said the meeting ended with a plan to meet again in September. The US has refused to confirm or deny that meeting. The official, who spoke to The Associated Press from Qatar, where the Taliban maintain a political office, said they are waiting on Washington for a second meeting date.