They are within the Obock sub-prefecture of Djibouti, and are a notable diving site.

[1] Even in English publications, the group is often called by its French name, îles des Sept Frères.

The archipelago proper is a chain of six volcanic islands spanning about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) in a rough east-west line:[2] The "seventh brother" is not an island, but the volcanic hill at the northern tip of the Ras Siyyan peninsula.

[2] The archipelago has been designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports a breeding colony of lesser and greater crested terns.

The archipelago consists of the main island of Kaḏḏa Dâbali, the five smaller islands of Ounḏa Dâbali, H̱amra, Tolka, H̱orod le ‘Ale and Ounḏa Kômaytou, as well as small rock outcrops that are uninhabitable for humans but important for seabirds.