Ex-US President Jimmy Carter recovering after hip surgery

Washington, May 14 (IANS) Former US President Jimmy Carter was recovering from a hip surgery following a fall at his home in Georgia.

"While leaving to go turkey hunting this morning, former US President Jimmy Carter fell at his home in Plains, Georgia," the Carter Center said in a statement on Monday released on Twitter.

Carter, 94, who is the oldest living former president in the history of the country, is "recovering comfortably from surgery to repair a broken hip at Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus, Georgia", the statement added.

It also said that his surgery was successful and he was accompanied by his wife, Rosalynn.

In a message on Twitter, US President Donald Trump wished Carter well.

"Wishing former President Jimmy Carter a speedy recovery from his hip surgery earlier today. He was in such good spirits when we spoke last month - he will be fine!" Trump tweeted.

In 2015, Carter's health faltered and it was announced that he had four brain tumours, but after six months he said that he was cancer free following radiotherapy and experimental medications.

Carter, who won a Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, is notably active and is expected to participate in a house construction project for underprivileged people in collaboration with Habitat for Humanity in Nashville, Tennessee.

He served only a single term as President due to the impact of the crisis involving American hostages in Iran in 1979, but he has continued to influence the politics of the country from a progressive perspective.

From the Carter Center, he has been involved in the observation of elections, human rights and public health around the world.

The former President has written around 20 books since leaving the White House.