Topeka ? After more than four years of fighting and thousands of soldiers going to war, the death toll from Fort Riley has topped 100.

Army officials announced Friday that Spc. Benjamin Ashley, 22, of Independence, Mo., died Thursday of his wounds when a bomb exploded near the vehicle he was driving in Balad, Iraq. He was the 100th soldier from Fort Riley to die in Iraq.

However, that toll will rise by at least two, Fort Riley spokeswoman Deb Skidmore confirmed, saying details about the deaths would not be released until next of kin are notified.

“They’re in a hot spot,” Skidmore said.

Ashley was assigned to 1st Battalion, 5th Field Artillery, 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, a unit that organized on March 1, 1776, by Capt. Alexander Hamilton in New York during the Revolutionary War.

Ashley was a tactical data systems specialist with his unit. He entered the Army in March 2004, and began serving with the 1st Infantry Division in September 2005. This was his only tour in Iraq, deploying with his unit in September 2006.

More than 6,000 soldiers from Fort Riley are deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, with several thousand slated to go later this year for 15 months. Many are making their second or third trip to Iraq, as Fort Riley’s soldiers took part in the opening stages of the war in 2003.

“It’s a continued tragedy. We’ve lost a lot of young lives,” Gov. Kathleen Sebelius said. “We consider Fort Riley soldiers part of our Kansas military family, and 100 deaths is a lot of lives lost, a lot of families grieving. My thoughts and prayers go out to the families involved.”

On Tuesday, Pvt. Oscar Sauceda Jr., 21, of Del Rio, Texas, was killed in Baghdad by small arms fire. He was with 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry and deployed to Iraq in February, as part of the additional troops ordered to Iraq by President Bush to regain control of the region amid growing violence.

For the month, military officials said Friday at least 88 Americans have died. In April, 104 U.S. troops were killed.

Skidmore said while 100 deaths is a milestone in the war, the total wasn’t preoccupying the minds of soldiers, families or civilian employees on the 100,000-acre post.

“I think people are more aware of the numbers the higher they go. But whether it’s number 100 or two or one or 42, they all are significant deaths. There is a hole left in their lives,” Skidmore said.