The Taliban will send a 10-person delegation to an Afghanistan peace meeting hosted by Russia this week, the insurgent group's spokesman said Monday.

The delegation will be led by Mullah Baradar, the Taliban's deputy leader and chief negotiator in U.S.-brokered talks in Qatar, spokesman Mohammad Naeem said in a statement.

The Russian-backed conference is scheduled for March 18, one of a number of diplomatic initiatives to attempt to jumpstart the stalling Afghan peace process.

The Afghan government confirmed Saturday it would participate in the conference.