Kabul, January 11 (RHC)-- Blaming "poor visibility,” Afghan officials say that U.S. Marines stationed in Helmand Province have shot and killed a four year old boy.

In response, the Afghan government has called for a unilateral suspension of U.S./NATO military operations taking place in homes and villages throughout the country.

Further details of the incident were not available, but a NATO official said the incident would be investigated. Most media outlets connected the death of the young child to the ongoing negotiations between President Hamid Karzai and the U.S. over a still unsigned Bilateral Security Agreement that would allow U.S. troops to remain in the country long past the current end of 2014 deadline.