Odil Gafarov is a military expert and researcher specializing in counter-terrorism, unconventional warfare, and China’s foreign military policy. He has worked on Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) projects, conducted trainings for Uzbekistan’s law enforcement, and led humanitarian operations such as "MEHR" to repatriate and rehabilitate former foreign fighters.

He is currently pursuing a PhD in Political Science at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, focusing on China's unconventional foreign security presence. He also holds master’s degrees from Renmin University of China and Yenching Academy of Peking University.

With expertise in counterinsurgency strategies and China-Central Asia security relations, Odil actively contributes to research and policy discussions on regional security.