According to M. Claude, the boundaries of the unprotected zone during and immediately WW1 was from Ankhor, (or Conkor) at the Gulf of Aden coast, Eil Dur Elan (or Dhur Cilaan) down the mount slope, Badwein at the open plains, and the 46th degree of longitude towards the Abyssinian border in the west, and the blockhouses surrounding the Dhulbahante garesa of Jidali, and the Nugaal to the east:^[1]

It was our object to confine them to this area and to afford protection to our friendly tribes behind a line drawn roughly from Ankhor on the sea coast through Eil Dur Elan to Badwein at the eastern extremity of the Ain Valley, and thence south-west to the southern border at a point where it is intersected by the 46th degree of longitude ^[2]

People and clans which lived in the neutral or borderlander areas, were immune to attacks from both British colonists and Darawiish, since they shared neither identity. That the borderlander and neutral peoples of the Karman were inviolable from raids or harassment from both colonial forces and the anti-colonial Darawiish chieftainship-sultanate is concurred with by former resident colonial administrator Douglas Jardine:^[3]

From this place, the chief grazing grounds of the tribes were at his mercy. It was an excellent base from which to carry out raids in any direction. Many of the tribesmen, loath to leave such luxuriant pastures, had remained in close proximity to the Dervish post; and their immunity from attack had shown that some sort of understanding existed between them and the Dervishes with whom they had exchanged visits and presents.

Douglas Jardine described the boundary between colonial-signatory tribes and non-signatory tribes, and separated those of intra-46th meridian east territories as a distinct entity:^[4]

An imaginary line was drawn roughly from Ankhor on the sea-coast through Eil Dur Elan to Badwein at the eastern extremity of the Ain Valley, and thence south-west to the southern border at a point where it is intersected by the 46th degree of longitude. It was our object to confine Dervish activities to their side of this line and to afford protection to the friendly tribes on our side.