But once they're gone, often they're gone. Given that Sunnis view at least two groups in the area as Devil worshipers or Apostates it doesn't really fill me with hope.

The locals might still be getting on with each other as well as they ever had, and it is persons from elsewhere in the world coming into the area that are doing these things - with modern communication making this so much easier.

Alexandria was a centre of Christianity for a long time - then was razed to the ground in a very short time.