To get the goods to Aleppo, Gao Yang had two routes to choose from.
Both routes required him to initially head south from Baghdad and then turn west, following Highway 1 passing through the dangerous towns of Fallujah and Ramadi before making a decision. He had to choose whether to continue west on Highway 1 or turn northwest onto Highway 12, depending on what Gao Yang decided.
The straight-line distance between Baghdad and Aleppo was about one thousand kilometers, mostly through the desert. Highway 12 followed the Euphrates River, maintaining a direct route to Aleppo alongside the river.
Moreover, traveling along the Euphrates provided towns along the way, making resupply convenient, but the downside was clear – more towns meant more people, and more people naturally meant more trouble.
If he continued west on Highway 1 past Ramadi, it would be a flat, open desert, definitely not worrying about encountering any armed organizations.